i didn't know i could see the light
by abbyli
Summary: After saving a damned Kol from the Other Side, she accidentally turns him human and he slowly turns into a very dangerous warlock. Now Bonnie is up to her ears with her growing feelings for the irritating Original and also the fact that they must work together to save the world. kol/bonnie post 4x12
1. prologue

**title: **i didn't know i could see the light

**summery: **"Huh...maybe death wasn't so bad. At least I was able to see her eyes one last time."

**pairing: **kol/bonnie

**rating: **T

**disclaimer: **i do not own vampire diaries. god, if I did...  
is it wrong that i am currently sobbing while writing this? God, my life is pathetic.

* * *

For years, it had been darkness.

Absolute darkness.

No light, no light at all in this wretched world of pain, haze, blood, and lust.

And when that dagger had been plunged into his chest, he had found words forming on his lips.

"Thank...you..."

Nik never told anyone.

To be brought back a hundred years later, back to the world where he would crave death and crave the blood, he hated it. He hated every single moment of it.

So why not lash out? Why not wreck the havoc and the pain that his parents had created for him?

But it wasn't until much later when he laid eyes on that little witch that he realized that there wasn't just pain. There wasn't just the lust for blood.

There was light.

There was happiness.

And there was strength.

He felt a real smile break his lips when their eyes met. Her silvery green eyes crinkled right around the corners and that little bashful smile pulled her lips up. He had never had anyone look at him like that before. Most women he had compelled to his will or they would just immediately throw themselves at him but this girl...she looked him right in the eye and smiled before continuing on down the hallway.

Those eyes.

Those damn eyes.

Is it true what Shakespeare once wrote? That love entered through the eye?

Because if it was...

He was sure she would figure out who he was within minutes. He could feel the power radiating off of her...she was the Bennett witch. Of course she would know.

**/**

He couldn't get her off of his mind. Everything about her was just so damn...perfect.

With a beauty like that strolling around Mystic Falls, why weren't the guys lined up at her doorstep?

Oh, right. Because she was strong. Too strong for a lot of the these little weaklings. He wouldn't have put it past old Damon Salvatore to make a try for her but she probably would have shot him right down into the dust.

He caught himself thinking about her a lot over the next couple of days. About her smile, her dark curtain of hair, her eyes...her beautiful eyes.

He hoped he would see those beautiful eyes again.

**/**

He enjoyed bringing misery to the elder Salvatore. Making him feel what he was supposed to feel. He was a vampire, he wasn't supposed to be happy. He was supposed to be a killer like the rest of them, not a lowly little human-like amoeba.

Because he hated it. Because he wanted to feel it. He wanted to feel what it was like to be in love and to be happy.

He couldn't picture that would actually be brave enough to give him a chance.

Except her.

/

Those wide silvery emerald eyes glared back at him as he pins her to the wall. "How can they find the cure if you're dead?!"

She arched an eyebrow, like she wasn't afraid. How stupid was she-?

And then the strangest feeling took him over. Almost like he was being lifted off of his feet and brought into the air with the grace of an angel.

_Ow! _Well, that kind of hurt. He jumps to his feet and runs a hand through his hair, feeling the dull ache of the aneurism thudding away in his head. Damn, she was good.

Was it wrong that he was kind of turned on right now?

**/**

"Open the door and invite me in."

Oh, dear. He sounds like the big bad wolf in that idiotic fairy tale. And inside are his little pigs that he is going to chew to bits.

But as he walks in after the wench invites him in, he spots a comforter laying on the sofa. It is a deep emerald green with slashes of silvery grey through it, almost like the color of her eyes.

**/**

Saying goodbye to the world that had treated him like hell wasn't so hard. It was much easier than he thought it would be, as a matter of fact.

It was a world that he had explored every nook and cranny of for the past thousand years. A world that he loved and didn't love him back.

He wanted that once again. He wanted for it to be perfect and joyful and full of passion. Was it hard to believe that he wanted it all?

He saw those eyes once again. Those emerald eyes streaked with silver and bits of gold...

Huh. Maybe dying wasn't so bad.

He could see his brother's stricken face, like he actually cared.

But all he could really see was her.

_Take care of her, Nik. _

His eyes slipped closed as he let the darkness take him over for the last time.

**/**

And then he was so alive...

"Are you all right?"

He looks around wildly, finding himself looking into those silvery eyes. He takes in a few deep breaths, trying to get control of his speeding heart.

Wait a minute...his speeding heart?

"Kol?"

Did she just say his name?

Or was he already in the hellish afterlife where he would be tortured by her breathtaking eyes and her gentle voice?

"Kol, look at me!" she commanded him once again. There was a slap, sharp and stinging across his cheek before he could finally meet her eyes again. "You're all right," she whispers, her touch now delicate and tender. "This isn't going to last long."

He lifted his head, glancing down at a body that was not his own. A heart that was beating it's tattoo out of his chest...a voice that did not belong to him...

He was in the body of the professor. He was alive.

"I don't understand," he whispered, looking into her eyes once again. "I'm supposed to be dead."

"That you are," Bonnie confirms lightly. "But I needed to keep you undead so Damon and the rest of those idiots don't raise Silas."

**.**

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Teehee! Shall I continue? **

**Kol's body didn't totally burn, right? So, is there still a chance? We didn't see it turn to ash so...**

**I need to rant for a minute here. I'm sorry but I just have too. **

**CAN JULIE PLEC BE ANY MORE CRUEL?!" **

**What's the point of having Kennett scenes if the possibility of them was going to be ripped away from us? What's the point of even bringing Kol back to kill him in the end? What's the flipping point of destroying a character that had so much opportunity? Why couldn't they just cast a crappy actor in the role so it'd be easier to say goodbye to them when they are killed off? This is how I felt when they killed Sage and Finn in Season 3. The casting of Cassidy and Casper was just brilliant and the loss of them after just a few episodes...damn. **

**Nate B. and Kat G. have been pushing for Kennett from day one and Kat has also been pushing for Bamon along with Ian Somerhalder, only for all of them to be ignored. Nina Dobrev has been asking for the triangle to be put on hold so she could work with Daniel Gillies some more, Paul Wesley has said countless times that he ships Steroline and would love to explore that more. **

**I thought writers allowed for actors to put their own ideas into the mix? Kind of like Supernatural, right?! They change producers and head writers every two seasons so they can keep their ideas fresh and clean cut, that's why that show has already been picked up for a ninth season! And...THEY LET THEIR ACTORS PUT THEIR IDEAS INTO THE MIX. I say, it's time for a new head producer on Vampire Diaries, maybe someone off of Supernatural or even Lost! I am just so sick and tired of loving a show from the beginning and then to have all of my hopes for it go down the drain. It's the same damn plot over and over again and that's why the ratings are plummeting. Promises of Klaroline/Steroline went right out the window when Klaus killed Carol Lockwood, hopes of Elejah were botched when Elijah kidnapped Elena, Mabekah's gone when April was introduced (even though I do ship April with Damon). **

**I am going to hope that there is some hope of bringing Kol back. Maybe when Idiots and Co. awake Silas, he will resurrect those who tried to bring him down, including Kol. Because I have a feeling that tvd has lost a lot of viewers after this episode. **


	2. another's eyes

_**another's eyes**_

* * *

**a/n: Because you beautiful people wanted more...**

* * *

**.**

**.**

_Darkness. Drifting._

_A lovely face, keeping him steady. Anchored to land. Those silvery green eyes..._

_She gives him blood, keeping him barely conscious. He can hear her chanting words in Latin, almost like she's trying to keep him alive. _

_It occurs to him that he is dying. _

"_Kol? Kol, I need you to stay with me, all right?" _

_Oh, he wants too. He's grown accustomed to her voice. _

_A cool hand runs over his forehead, brushing the hair back from his brow. Blankets are tucked around his form, the form that is so foreign to him. _

"_Hold on, Kol. You're going to be fine." _

_He hopes so. He's not done with her yet. _

**_._**

**_._**

"Why?"

She winces slightly at the voice that is not his.

It had been two days. Two long days.

Elena had reported back to her the amount of vampires that had died. Jeremy's tattoo had stretched right up his arm and across his chest, making it complete.

But Bonnie knew what was going to happen to that tattoo once this was over. Once Silas was put back down and Kol restored to his body.

She hoped that she would be able to stop Damon from killing Jeremy when it was over.

"Why what?" she turns around to look into eyes that once held hate and lies, now filled with confusion and sadness.

She never thought she would see that look in his eyes.

"Why did you do this?" Kol replies softly, getting to his feet and stretching out his long limbs. Shane was about six inches taller than he was, his form thicker and his limbs wider. Of course, being an Original vampire, he was able to put him down easily-or not so easily.

"Why did you save me?"

She sighs inwardly. Even if it was Shane's voice she was hearing, it was Kol's words that were coming out of his mouth.

"We've been over this, Kol."

"Well, then tell me again, darling. Tell me again why you would want me alive out of all people. Out of my siblings, it is me that you should want dead the most!"

"I don't want you dead!" The words flew out of her mouth faster than she could control them, wincing as they hung in the air over both of them. She wished with all her might that they could just fly back into her mouth but of course, they couldn't. "You are the only one besides me that believes Silas to be real and much more dangerous than your whole family put together and-"

"And what?"

She glares at the face that isn't his, remembering when Shane had jeered at her about things that weren't any of his business, about her Grams, about her family. She had wanted to slap that smirk right off of his face. But this was Kol looking back at her, not Shane. In his own bizarre, sadistic way, he was trying to save them all.

"Because you are the only one that gets it," she says carefully.

He scoffs angrily, running a hand through those corkscrew curls that didn't belong to him. "I'm the only one that gets it?" he snaps. "I have been trying so hard to stop all of you from finding this cure because I know what it will do. There are other ways, Bonnie!"

"Other ways to what?"

Now he was the one that was furiously trying to swallow his words but failing miserably.

"It's not that simple."

Anger bubbles in her belly and she hisses through her teeth. "Fine! Fine!" She can't really decide who she is angrier at, the vampire in front of her or herself. And she's too damn tired to really care anymore. "Here, you need to eat." She tosses a blood bag at him to which he swiftly catches.

"I'd rather have it fresh, darling," he mumbles.

"Oh, stick it where the sun doesn't shine. You need to stay here."

"Only because my daylight ring got burned up with the rest of me. By the way, how is that going?"

Sucky, actually. After she had locked up Klaus, knocked him out cold and tossed the rest of the Morons And Company from the Gilbert house, she had managed to snatch what was left of Kol's body. She thanked whatever heavens were above that she had gotten there in time. His body was still intact, having not turned to ash yet. With the spell she had transpired into his mind, even if he was staked with the White Oak, he wouldn't be fully destroyed.

And thanks to the Lord and her, he wasn't. She had scrounged up whatever was left of him and placed it back inside the coffin that had been his home for over a hundred years, getting it inside and spelling it shut where Klaus and Rebekah wouldn't be able to get in.

No one knew about Kol. She would tell Klaus soon enough, he had to know. And so did Rebekah and Elijah. Now was not the time.

"You're in one piece, that's all I can tell you," she supplies softly, the sheer image of his burnt and broken body shining across her eyes. It sickened her to the core.

* * *

She eyes the tattoo, feeling just a bit revolted by the sight of it.

"Bonnie? You okay?"

Jeremy's voice startles her out of her wits, causing her to dump her coffee right onto the floor.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," she murmurs, leaning down with a napkin to sop up the mess. Jeremy goes down beside her, his tattooed arm reaching down with his own bunch of napkins. "Jeremy, it's okay. I've got it."

He raises his eyebrows at her but doesn't argue, getting to his feet and slipping back into his seat. Bonnie scoops up the rest of the stained napkins and tosses them into a nearby trash bin. Once she is back in her seat, she finds Jeremy watching her intently.

"What?"

"What's with you? For the past two days, you've been acting like you are somewhere else."

"Jeremy, I've got a lot of things on my mind. This whole 'keeping Klaus locked up' thing is kind of weighing heavily on me."

"I know that, Bon. But what about the other day when you blew Elena off? She and Damon needed-"

"Oh, please do not talk to me about Elena and Damon, okay?!"

The words fly out of her mouth faster than she can control them and stuns Jeremy into silence.

"Bonnie, what's the matter with you? Are you all right?"

The actual concern in his voice makes her melt, just so slightly. Oh, she wants to tell him. She wants to tell him about the crazy swacked out Original stuck in her enemy's body, she wants to tell him about how his tattoo will soon disappear once that Original is back in his body, she wants to tell him about the constant nosebleeds and headaches she is getting while trying to restore the Original's body back. She wants to tell him everything.

But she can't. He can't know anything until it is the right time.

She's tired. She is so damn tired. All of this is just so...so wrong.

But it's right.

* * *

The more she had listened to Shane's rants about Silas, the more she was beginning to believe how wrong it was to raise him. There was no way that she could ever allow him to raise him.

She had overheard Kol and Rebekah's argument about the cure while in the midst of an argument with Klaus. He went to break up their fight and she stayed at the door, listening, knowing.

A greater enemy than the Originals themselves could very well destroy the Earth. It didn't matter how many vampires were crawling the world's surface, the deep matter was to keep the preservation of life.

When she had learned of Elena's plan to have Jeremy kill Kol, she was stunned. She knew Elena would probably end up with a stake in her chest and Jeremy with no arms because their plans never worked. It didn't matter the collateral damage, it was always about what a certain Gilbert girl wanted.

And it stunned her to her innermost heart that Jeremy went along with it.

Kol tackling her, it was her only chance, her own choice. It wasn't just the mother of all aneurisms, it was a weakening spell. With him weakened, she would be able to preserve his soul. It was the only way she was able to do it alone with Klaus and Tyler, him being severely weakened and desiccated and not fighting her. Kol never knew what hit him.

The moment that Shane had fallen was the moment that the stake had slammed into Kol's chest, taking his soul and placing it into Shane. She knew then that it had worked. It was time.

Bonnie comes out of her reverie to glance at the charred remains that was once the cutest (stop it, Bonnie!) and the most sadistic out of the family. Yes, she knew he was actually alive in a way but as long as his body was down, the rest of those vampires that had come from his line would stay down as well.

It was a nauseating thought.

"How's it going, little lamb?"

Speaking of appalling thoughts.

Bonnie glances over her shoulder at Shane-no, Kol. He is leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed and his head resting on the wooden panel.

"It's not going well, actually," she responds truthfully.

Kol's face blanches and he steps closer. "Are you saying I am going to be stuck in this body?"

"Oh, Kol, will you stop bugging me?!" Bonnie bursts out, startling Kol into silence. She just wasn't afraid anymore.

"Bonnie, give me some credit," he replies scathingly. Her heart jumps at the sound of her first name. "I have one of the most powerful witches in the world on my side. I don't plan on screwing this up any time soon."

She sighs, turning around and looking him dead in the eye. Despite that it was Shane's black eyes looking back at her; she could see Kol behind them. It really was him in there. "I am very tired, Kol. And if you don't stop bothering me, I will give you a real aneurysm this time, understand?"

He holds up his hands in surrender, going to leave the room. But before he disappears, she hears a quickening of breath. "May I see?"

His voice is so small that she almost misses it. And she nods.

They brush past each other, Bonnie in a haste to leave the room. She stops at the doorway, her back to the room. She should leave but for some reason, her feet aren't letting her. They remain planted to the floor, refusing to budge an inch.

She feels the swarm of pain from the man in the room, actual heartache and anguish. Her own heart splinters and cracks, pain pooling in her belly.

Damn it, why does this always happen to her?

* * *

Her phone buzzed around eight that following morning.

"Caroline?"

"Bonnie, where are you?" Her blonde friend sounds urgent, much more urgent than normal Caroline.

"I'm at home, why?" Lie.

"Is there anyone with you?"

Nope. Not unless you count Shane/Kol sitting a few feet away, sucking on a blood bag.

"No."

"You need to let Klaus out of the Gilbert house."

Bonnie drops her phone. She goes to scramble for it but Kol is suddenly kneeling before her, holding it up like a man preparing to propose. Their eyes meet and she gingerly takes it from him, their eyes never breaking contact.

"Bonnie? You still there?"

"Yeah, Caroline. I'm here. Why do you want me to let Klaus out?" She sees Kol raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Just...just let him out," Caroline murmurs. "He's going crazy not knowing where his brother's body is and-"

Her heart skips a beat. "How do you know that Kol's body isn't there?"

"I was there, Bonnie. You left me out of the plan because you knew I would try to stop you. How long is this going to go on?!"

"Caroline-" "I don't care about being left out of the plans, I am just tired of seeing so much death. And Kol-jeez, Klaus is a mess. He is grieving so horrendously for Kol and once that spell wears off, he will kill Elena and Jeremy and Damon. Now, I wouldn't care so much about Damon but-"

"Caroline, will you shut up for a minute?!" She hears her friend stumble over her sentences and become quiet. "Listen, I do intend on letting Klaus out before the spell wears off but that is when Elena and Jeremy are out of Mystic Falls. There is a reason as to why he is still there but-but, I just can't tell you right now, okay?"

Stupid words, Bonnie. Very stupid.

And Caroline pounced. "What do you mean, you can't tell me? Bonnie, what the hell is going on?!"

"Caroline, you are just going to have to trust me. All right? You need to trust me. When have I ever let you down?" she replies.

She hears Caroline grumble for a second before giving in. "Never."

"Just-, just trust me. Let me figure this out and I swear, I will tell you everything."

Caroline gives in. "All right, Bonnie. I trust you. But it won't make me any less curious to what you are up too."

"I will let Klaus out soon," Bonnie assures her lightly. And then she hangs up.

"Blondie fallen head over heels for my idiotic brother, eh?"

Bonnie turns slightly, finding Kol's borrowed eyes in the early morning dim. "She's with him while he's locked in the house that you died in." Kol visibly winces at her words. "He's out of his mind with grief, Kol," Bonnie adds carefully. "You have no idea."

With that, she walks out of the room, leaving him behind and very alone.

* * *

**I have another little rant, guys. I'm sorry! **

**Now, I didn't see the whole episode of 4x12. I had to turn it off when I found out that Kol was going to die but I did turn it back on when the actual death scene happened. It broke my fangirl heart because honestly, it was heartbreaking. It was very well done, I do have to say. Nathaniel, Steven, and Nina did a fantastic job as well as Joseph and Kat in the after effect. Because the actors are so good, that is what makes this show worth watching. I do hope that if they don't bring Nate back (even though I heard that they will), he will get snapped up by a fantastic show that deserves him (Supernatural, anyone?). But I also think that the reason why it was so tear-jerking is that the viewer sympathizes greatly with the character of Kol. He's given up and he's pretty much on a suicide mission, thinking no one gives a damn but when Klaus comes in too late, you know how much he really was loved. **

**Anyway, onto this story. Bonnie is working the double agent role and pretty soon, Caroline is going to figure out what's going on. The producers have said that Caroline will be the one to find Klaus locked up in the Gilbert house (I think) and I've also read several oneshots about that too. Caroline will be the first to discover Kol in Shane's body with Klaus following soon behind. And of course, Elijah will be coming in later. How could I forget about him? **

**I hope this chapter answered your questions about why Bonnie is doing what she's doing. The next chapter is going to feature a few Klonnie flashbacks of immediate aftermath of Kol's 'death' and the end will have a delightful little twist. **

**Thanks so much, guys. I really appreciate all of the hub-bub for this story, I really didn't expect it. **


	3. from here to kingdom come

_**from here to kingdom come**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'everybody's waiting for you to break down  
everybody's watching to see the fall out  
even when you're sleeping, sleeping  
keep your eyes open'

**-'eyes open', taylor swift **

**.**

**.**

"Tell me about your family."

She arches a brow. "Excuse me?"

Kol rolls his eyes. "Come on, tell me about yourself. I'm so bored being stuck here in this house and I need something else to focus on other than ripping Elena Gilbert's throat out."

"Kol-" Her voice catches in her throat as her inner demons twist and turn. But then, she can't help but give in. "What do you want to know?"

"All I know is that your mother's a witch. Or at least, was. Like my mother," he says quietly. "And your grandmother too?"

"How did you know that?" she asks quietly, her eyebrows raised once again.

"I see a lot of this weirdo's thoughts and memories running across my own line of vision. I can see him berating you about your grandmother's death," he says simply, with a tiny hint of something in those coffee colored eyes that she can't read. Is it sympathy?

"Yeah, it runs in the Bennett line," she answers. "Why are you so interested about my genetics, Kol?"

He sits back in his chair, balancing his glass of blood between two fingers. "I've always had a special appreciation for witches, little bird."

She tries to ignore the shiver down her spine when he calls her that. "Oh, really? Then explain why you tried to turn me into lunch meat last week?"

"Explain why you saved my life instead of allowing me to turn into a pile of dust," he replies quickly. "Like how all of your pitiful little friends thought you were going too."

The words choke her throat closed and she sighs, giving in. "I already told you that."

"And why did you believe me so easily? No one else did. Not even my own brother."

"What makes you think he doesn't believe you? Jeez, Kol, he's locked up in Elena's house, out of his mind with grief!"

"You want to challenge families?" Kol replies scathingly, brushing off her words. "You want to see who's family is worse?"

Bonnie gets to her feet, her temper rising. "No, Kol. I don't want to sit here and argue about that. I can't believe I am sticking up for _Klaus_ of all people but if you had just realised that he cared about you, you wouldn't have gone on that suicide mission and we wouldn't be in this mess."

She can hear the growl in his throat before she is suddenly pinned against the wall. His teeth are bared and his eyes black with blood, fingers pressed against her throat in an attempt to choke the life out of her.

She glares, not even blinking an eye. "Go ahead, Kol. Kill me."

His eyes widen ever so slightly before the blood recedes.

She feels the fingers slacken their grip on her throat, loosening enough that she can gently pull away. Bonnie finds herself amazed that she is being gentle of all things with him, let alone not giving him the mother of aneurisms. He should be on his knees right now, begging her for mercy.

But she finds that she can't even lift a finger against him.

And that scares her.

"I'm sorry."

It's like her ears have betrayed her for a moment. She blinks and finds his eyes in the dim.

"Why are you sorry?" she whispers, watching as he lowers himself back down into the chair.

He lets out a weary sigh, sounding like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. And technically, he did. And so did she.

It was the two of them against the world and they didn't even really know it.

"I never should have came back." His voice is a mere whisper, nearly inaudible to her human ears. "I should have ignored Rebekah's calls."

She emits her own tiny sigh, dropping down into her own chair. "I don't believe that you would have just ignored her. If you hadn't been here to stop them from getting to the cure, they'd probably have it by now."

"That's just it, Bonnie," Kol replies softly. "I don't know where it is. Neither does Nik. Only this guy does." He points to his borrowed head, tapping his temple with an index finger. He glances down to his shoes. "What are you going to do with him when you return me to my body?"

Bonnie leans back in her chair, her hands clasped in front of her. "I am going to wipe his memory and send him out of town. I don't want to kill him but-"

"I'll do it."

Her eyes narrow. "No."

"He's not linked to anyone anymore-well, except me. Once I'm back, it'll be easy as pie. And I'll even make it quick."

"Kol, you don't understand," Bonnie interrupts lightly. "Shane can't be killed. At least not now. He has delved on so much Expression that he could link himself to anyone, draining their life force to bring him back. I was lucky enough to break that link so April didn't die."

"Then-then that's all you can do, isn't it?" he responds. "Unless you lock him in a tower somewhere."

Her jade eyes find his shadowy ones, finding herself wishing that she had two pools of honeyed coffee looking back at her instead of those dark bottomless pits.

"What's it like in there?" she asks. "Do you feel him in there too? Or is he asleep?"

Kol's eyebrows raise for a moment before a thoughtful expression crosses his face. "Sometimes he's awake," he answers softly. "And he fights. You're right about how strong he is. And I see things."

"You see things?"

"A few memories, here and there. It's almost like-like he's letting me see these things. And they're all about you."

Her heart skips a beat.

"Kol..."

"I don't understand why you didn't blast him to kingdom come when you had the chance," Kol whispers. "He's got so much planned if he gets his hands on the cure."

One look in those black eyes and she knows he's not lying.

* * *

A tiny drop of blood falls on her left hand. She glances at it, surprised that it's so small instead of the stream that she had gotten used to in the past couple of days.

She wonders if it is a lost cause. She's been at this for nearly a week and there is no improvement, no change at all in the charred remains before her. Maybe it would be better if Kol remained in Shane's body. He would at least be able to keep Shane at bay for the time being.

But then again, Kol didn't have his brother's strength. Klaus had been able to ride Alaric's body and then Tyler's until he didn't need them anymore. Shane was much more powerful than Alaric and Tyler ever were and she highly doubted that Kol would be able to hold him off for very long. Klaus was another story.

Klaus.

She had to let him out of that damn box. She didn't want too but she had too. The thing was though, she wasn't afraid of the Original Hybrid anymore. She knew that he wouldn't harm her because she was always of use to him, no matter if she wanted to be or not. And now she held Kol's life in the palm of her hands.

He mustn't know yet.

Damn it, but she wanted him to know.

She could see it behind Kol's borrowed eyes how much he missed his family, especially Niklaus.

And she just couldn't imagine what had gone through either of their minds when death had knocked on their door.

Okay, Bonnie. You need to focus.

The words flowed off of her tongue, the magic and the power starting to crackle in the air once again.

A few more drops of blood spilled onto her upper lip, engraining themselves into her teeth. Ignoring it, she continued on.

And then, it happened.

It was like the one time that she had undaggered Finn. That seemed like a million years ago but it was a mere four months.

Kol's fingertips began to take on a slightly fleshy appearance, some of the ash and the black falling away and disappearing.

"Come on," she whispered under her breath. "Come on."

The blackened and bloodied lines crackled for a moment, almost like he was about to be lit on fire once again.

And then...

_And then..._

* * *

"I cannot believe that you have showed your face."

She quirks an eyebrow. "You better be nicer to me. Or I can leave you in here to rot for the rest of eternity."

And he is thrashing against the bindings, his eyes golden and tinged with scarlet blood, his fangs bared and so long that they cut into his bottom lips, a few more drops of blood spilling down.

"Where. Is. My. Brother?"

She takes in a deep breath. "Safe." That's it. Just safe. As far as he knew, it was Kol's body that was safe, not Kol himself.

Bonnie lowers her head, purposely avoiding his eyes as she begins to chant. She can feel him watching her, unable to shake off that piercing gaze.

The wall lowers and he is free.

She takes a step back, her arms folded in front of her chest. She raises her chin defiantly, not breaking their eye contact.

"Why?"

Would people stop asking her that?!

"Do I have to have a reason for everything I do, Klaus?" she says. And without another word, she strides from the room, leaving him there and so very alone.

* * *

Caroline blinks as her phone buzzes. She picks it up with one hand and glances at it before looking back out at the road in front of her.

_It's done. _

She doesn't try to text her friend back, knowing that she would see her soon enough.

She continues to drive, barely even allowing herself to breathe.

She had to know. She just had to know.

* * *

He heard her footsteps from a mile off.

"Uh, witch?"

Bonnie looked up from her grimoire. "What?"

"We've got company."

As if right on cue, her phone began to vibrate, Caroline's name lighting up the screen.

"She knows," she states simply, looking over at Kol. "I can send her away. That is, if you want."

Kol shakes his head. "No. Let her in."

Bonnie arches an eyebrow in surprise. "Caroline has a very big mouth. She'll blab to your brother."

"And he will think that she is mad," Kol replies softly.

At the sound of his voice, the absolute resignation and sadness—that's when Bonnie knows.

"_Bonnie, open up!" _

Bonnie slowly strides across the living room floor to the door, opening it just a bit to find the blonde vampire standing on the welcome mat, her arms crossed and quite an irritating expression on her lovely face.

"Bonnie, I can't take it anymore. Why are you here at the perverted professor's apartment?"

A loud snort comes from behind Bonnie. Caroline goes on her tiptoes and sees Shane (Kol) standing a few feet away, his own arms folded in front of his chest.

"Hello, Caroline darling. Nice to see you again," he smirks.

Bonnie steps back, allowing Caroline access into the apartment. She starts to step over the threshold and then runs smack into a wall.

"Bonnie!" Caroline turns to her friend, holding a hand to her bruised nose.

"Oh, sorry." Bonnie lowers her head for a moment, Caroline falling through the barrier.

"What the hell is going on?!" Caroline demands, looking back and forth between Bonnie and the man in front of her. "Bonnie, I've given you time and I trust you but I can't take it anymore. You didn't let Klaus out until this morning and he is currently racing up the border trying to find Elena and Jeremy while they hunt for the cure."

"What?! They left?!" She looks frantically at Kol who is wearing the same look of surprise and panic. Damn it, it was too soon. "Why would they leave—Shane isn't—"

"Damon says that Shane gave him enough information to find the stupid cure."

Bonnie grabbed Caroline's arm, her emerald eyes meeting her indigo ones. "Caroline, you are the only person that Klaus will listen to. You need to find him and get him back here, now!"

"Bonnie, what's going on?!" Caroline demanded. "Why do you care?"

"Because-" Her voice breaks suddenly. "Kol."

"What about Kol?"

"No, dummy," Bonnie sighs. "I wasn't talk to you. I was talking _to_ Kol."

That is when the dawning realization hits the blonde. She glances furiously at Kol, her eyes wide with panic and shock. "No, no, no. Wait a minute. Kol's _dead._ Jeremy killed him. That dumb tattoo is complete!" Caroline almost topples backwards in shock as she stares at Kol. "It's complete!"

Kol shakes his head with mixed amusement. "Hello, Caroline darling."

With all her mix with the dumb Original family, she knows their little sayings. Their little words. And as soon as 'darling' leaves his mouth for the second time, she gets it. It all makes sense.

And she doesn't question it.

She knows and she understands. Bonnie doesn't have to explain it to her.

"Klaus called me about an hour ago. He's right on the East Coast. I can find him and bring him back here, if that's what you want," she says, looking back and forth between the two of them. When neither answers her, she nods in confirmation. "Please forgive me for doing this," she whispers. And then she strides across the floor and wraps her arms around Kol in a light embrace. Kol's arms hang slack at his sides, alarm in his features.

Caroline releases him from the embrace and turns back to Bonnie. Before the witch knows it, she is wrapped in the vampire's embrace for a split second and then released, the blonde gone in a blur.

* * *

He is running.

Running so fast. So far.

Grief masked his heart, making it thud away in violence.

Anger, rage, hatred.

He was going to make her suffer. She was going to bleed out in front of her lover and he was going to make him end her. He was going to make him drain her dry and see how it felt to lose someone that he loved.

Or maybe he would make him end his own brother.

No. Stefan… he couldn't do that to Stefan.

Stefan would be safe. Stefan could escape.

And Caroline…Caroline could flee. Caroline and Stefan, they could just flee. They would be all right.

The rest were going to die—including the witch.

Hot tears prick behind his eyes. He forces them back. He is not going to be weak. No weakness. Show them no weakness, no grief.

His phone rings.

_Caroline. _

He contemplates throwing it into the bushes, cracking it into a million little bits.

But something tells him not too. Something tells him to just answer the damn phone.

"Caroline."

"Klaus, I'm about twenty miles back. Wherever you are, I need you to stay put. I'm coming to find you," her voice is quick and inflamed with panic.

"Love, what is it?" he asks, finally coming to a stop.

"Just stay there!" she commands before the line goes dead.

**.**

**.**

* * *

**I lied! Here's a new update! **

**Okay, so let's pretend that Shane gave the Scooby gang enough information to track down the dumbass cure and of course, they would leave Caroline behind. Caroline has already grown to care very much for Klaus and her 'humanity' would definitely get in the way of finding the cure. **

**Kol and Bonnie…growing closer…need I say more? **


	4. scars

_**scars**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'run fast as you can  
no one has to understand  
fly high across the sky  
from here to kingdom come  
don't you fret, my dear  
it will all over soon  
and i'll be waiting here for you  
run, run, run away'

**-'kingdom come', the civil wars**

**.**

**.**

"How about something to eat?"

She looks up from her books to find Kol gazing at her from his perch on the floor. Despite wearing Shane's face, he still had that boyish smirk that she had found herself looking at a few times in the moments that she had been forced to do Klaus's bidding. He had swiped one of her textbooks a while ago and was trying to amuse himself by reading it aloud and driving her insane.

"There are blood bags in the fridge," she replies before going back to the physics problem that she was currently poring over.

"No, I meant would you like me to make _you _something to eat? I don't think you have eaten in the past day and a half."

She glances up from her book in surprise. "You cook?"

Kol rolls his eyes, smirking. "Yes, I cook. Pretty much the basics. Niklaus is the one that can cook the five course meals. I'm more of a hamburger and macaroni and cheese kind of guy, darling. You see, when I woke up in 2010 after being out cold for a hundred and four years, I had to learn pretty fast."

Bonnie shakes her head, a tiny smile playing on her lips. "I don't know what's in Shane's fridge but have at it."

She watches as he gets to his feet and strides into the professor's tiny kitchen. She hears a pots and pans being clanked around for a moment before there is a resounding crash.

"Kol? Everything all right?"

"Fine, darling. I doubt the professor will miss it!" he calls back. She can practically hear the grin in his voice.

She goes back to her homework, listening as Kol tinkers around in the kitchen. She hears him mutter a few swear words and then another crash.

"Are you destroying the kitchen?!" she calls.

"I'm trying not to, like you told me."

Oh, dear. This was going to be a disaster.

So she waits, not paying any attention to the homework in front of her, and listening carefully in case she had to put out a few fires.

* * *

Caroline's not surprised that he didn't stay.

She had followed in her car when she picked up the scent, driving twice the speed limit all the way to the outskirts of the state. She caught it going off of a trail and then left her car behind, following on foot.

She catches his scent once again, veering off to the left of the trail and then leading up the long hill.

"Oh, Klaus..." she sighs, looking up beyond the rocks.

_Freaking Shane and the stupid cure_. Of course it would be out in the middle of the nowhere where anything can happen to the group as they look for it.

As she runs, Caroline thinks about what she had seen less than a day ago.

Kol was alive. _Alive. _

She still couldn't believe that was possible. But then again, Tyler had had Klaus ride his body for over a month until Bonnie took him out. And Esther had ridden Rebekah for a few hours, Klaus took over Alaric for a while, what the hell was it with this family?! Couldn't they just stay in their own bodies?

And then again, Kol's body had been destroyed. Or was it?

She knew Bonnie had a plan. She always did whenever she did things like this but then again, she hardly ever saved Originals' lives under her own accord. As far as Caroline knew, nobody had been threatened or harmed in any way to get her to do this.

She remembered Klaus mentioning Silas in a conversation and how afraid Kol was of him. When she had brought it up to Bonnie, it was like a whole other person had taken her friend over; she had never seen her get so odd before.

Bonnie hated vampires. Why was she saving one of the most sadistic of them all? Jeez, Kol made Damon look like an angel.

Caroline came to a halt, sniffing the air. Damn it, it was going to rain soon. She could feel it. And she was going to lose that damn scent.

"_Klaus!" _

* * *

"Dinner is served."

To her immense surprise, she finds a beautiful salad sitting in front of her. She looks up to look into Kol's eyes and gives him a smile. "Thank you. This looks really good."

"Put away those books for a little while. Talk to me."

She obeys with a tiny smirk, closing her English Literature book and setting it aside. "You should think about going back to school yourself," she replies softly.

"Oh, I did. Back in the year of 1902, I was attending Dillard University. It was in New Orleans, the last time that all of us were together," he says, handing her a fork. She looks down, realizing that he has a salad of his own. The only vampires that she had ever seen eat human food were Damon and Caroline. Damon could eat like a horse and when Caroline was turned; she and Damon could probably compete at who could eat more cheeseburgers. She had seen Stefan drink coffee and that was about it.

Her brows rise in wonder. "Wow. I never figured you for the college type." A smile loops across her lips, much to her chargin. But, what the hell? Might as well relax for a little while.

He chuckles. "I majored in business of all things," he says. "Something to do to pass the time. Of course, I was stuffed into a coffin less than a year later." He stabs a cherry tomato with his fork and pops it into his mouth.

"Yeah, about that," Bonnie sighs. She manages to scrounge a grape from the plate of fruits and vegetables in front of her. "What were the early 1900's like?"

"They were pretty interesting," he replies softly, not meeting her eyes for a moment. "1901, William McKinley was assassinated. Niklaus and I were going through Buffalo at that time and we were there when it happened."

"You were there when McKinley was killed?" Bonnie can't hide the astonishment in her voice.

He looks at her with one eyebrow quirked. "Don't worry; I didn't do it, lamb."

"Well, of course I didn't think that you did it!" Heat rises through her cheeks. "Sorry."

He laughs dryly. "Don't worry about it, little lamb." He continues to tell her the details of that day and how it had been the first presidential conference he had ever been too in his 900 years of life, having avoided them before. The conversation turns and goes into another monumental moments of the early 1900's, mostly of his time spent in New Orleans.

"She did _what?_" Bonnie laughs after Kol tells her about the time that the first hair home perms came out and Rebekah wound up burning half of her hair off.

"Yeah, she did! I don't think she stopped crying for a week!" Kol chortles happily, remembering that time fondly. "What she didn't know is that I switched out the cream for watered down glue. When she applied the heat, oh my-I don't think my broken arm healed for a week after that."

Bonnie continues to laugh, almost choking on a raisin from the last dregs of salad. "You shouldn't have told me that. She'll kill you!"

"What, she'll kill me again?"

The warmth immediately dies from her face. "Kol..."

"No, it's okay, lamb. I understand," he says, getting to his feet and picking up their plates.

She follows, keeping her hands gripped in front of her. "Kol, listen to me."

"It's really not necessary, Bonnie," he replies, not meeting her gaze.

"Kol, I can put you back in your body now."

* * *

She hears the hiker's panicked screams before she catches a glimpse.

"_KLAUS!" _

She urges her legs to work faster, feeling exhaustion weighing on her heavily. It had been a while since she had fed and she was starting to tire a bit. Damn it, this wasn't going to be easy.

She comes up over the clearing to see a sight that she never thought she would see.

The hiker is backing away cautiously, his arms held out in surrender. Fear is etched in his features and another scream is ripping from his throat, mixed with the growls coming from the other creature in front of him.

A brilliantly golden wolf, standing at almost five feet tall, with eyes that burned brighter than the sun.

Klaus.

She leaps high, coming to a rest on her haunches in front of the wolf. She sees Klaus's eyes widen in shock before his fangs slide out. Hers elongate as well, hoping like the hell that the hiker took off running and didn't stick around for the show.

"Klaus, listen to me!" she cries, her eyes burning and black with blood. "Klaus, I need you to listen to me!"

The wolf tries to dart around her, desperate for the kill that was sure to come.

She refuses to allow him to pass, keeping up with the dance. If he tried to lunge at her, she knew he would snap her like a twig. She'd have no chance.

But she had to try.

He growls viciously, blood and saliva slipping out over his bottom lip. Caroline can see the plead in his eyes but she darts forward again, not letting him get by.

"Klaus, it's about Kol! It's Kol!"

Jackpot.

He freezes for a moment, those bright fiery eyes wide with astonishment. And then the dance resumes.

Of course, he ignores her and finally gives in, taking a mad leap to get past her. She lunges at the same time, feeling his teeth tearing into her shoulder with the most agonizing of pain. It was different from when Tyler bit her, to which it had been a little nip and then turned into a horrifying amount of awfulness.

But this, this was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. It was like she had been dipped headfirst into a tub of vervain and sloshed around like a dishrag. It was like a thousand needles were tearing into her skin, ripping it right from her body.

She can hear the vicious transformation that is going on above her, hearing Klaus's own cries and sobs of agony as he turns.

But what she's feeling right now is probably nothing compared to his pain of transforming.

"Damn it, Caroline!" he yells. She clutches at her shoulder, trying her hardest to stay conscious.

"Klaus...its Kol..." she whispers again, feeling his arms entangle around her form. "Bonnie...Bonnie saved...him..."

And then her world goes dark.

* * *

"I know."

She can feel her jaw go slack with alarm. "You know?"

"When you came home, bleeding heavily from the nose that one night, I knew," he says softly, his back still to her. "So, am I still as wickedly handsome as before?"

"Actually, no. I made your ears a lot bigger so you look like Dumbo," she replies sarcastically. When she sees his dumbfounded look, she scoffs. "Dumbo? Seriously? You've never heard of Dumbo?"

"Who, pray tell, is this Dumbo?" he asks.

"It's a Disney movie about an elephant-oh, never mind!"

"Let's move past this 'Dumbo' fellow," Kol interrupts. "Is-" his voice breaks. "Am I-, all right?"

Bonnie nods. "You're fine. I can put you back tomorrow night at the new moon," she says. "That is when there is enough magic in the air for me to draw on."

He doesn't respond, padding over to the sofa and sitting down. She eyes him for a moment before delicately approaching.

"What is it?"

Kol keeps staring at his feet for a moment before finally meeting her eyes. She can see the sadness, the confusion.

And her heart cracks just a little bit for this lost boy. The forever Peter Pan that never had the chance to grow up.

She finds that she hates Esther even more than she ever did. It's because of her that her children, her children who never got out of their twenties, are still walking the Earth today. Kol and Rebekah never saw twenty. They never got to grow up.

Vampires never should have been created. Vampires never should have walked this earth.

Humans are born, they live, and they die.

* * *

She can hear him raging at her as she floats in and out of the world.

"Caroline, you stay with me, do you hear?! Stay with me!"

She feels warm blood being pushed at her lips. Almost coaxingly like. Her lips part and the blood pools into her mouth. She's tasted this blood before and it's delicious. It's almost fruity, with a touch of the most tantalizing of merlot wine.

She drinks it almost greedily, feeling its effects after only a few moments. Her world becomes brighter and the light takes shape in front of her eyes.

And then she sees brilliant blue...so dark and so stunning. Blue like the sea, blue like the sapphires that she adores, the indigo horse that runs wild in the forest.

His eyes.

"I could have killed you," Klaus breathes, sitting back on his haunches. He runs a hand through his dirt caked hair, his curls tight to his skull. "Why did you get in the way?" he whispers, looking away.

Caroline sits up slowly, cautiously. Her head spins and she lets out a moan, fingernails raking at her hair.

"It's Kol, Klaus. Kol is alive."

He still won't look at her. She realizes that he is naked from the waist up, only wearing a pair of ripped jeans and is barefoot. Well, when you travel as a wolf, you can't really carry a suitcase with you.

"Klaus, look at me," Caroline whispers. She remembers the one time that he let her touch him while locked up in that house. The way he trembled in her arms, reminding her of the little boy that he was all those years ago and the little boy that he still is.

"He can't be alive," he says softly, his back still to her. "I watched him burn."

Caroline takes a deep breath. "Bonnie managed to put the same whammy on him that she put on you. When he was stabbed with the White Oak stake, he was put into Atticus Shane's body. His own body, I don't know what's going on with that. But Kol is alive, Klaus. You have to believe me."

She can see his shoulders shaking with those unshed sobs, her own heart cracking with compassion. Damn this man. She should hate him with everything that she has; she should want him to suffer greatly.

And she can't.

"Please, come home."

She can sense him wanting to believe. Wanting to make it all right again. It was all once okay, before all of this horror happened. Everything had been okay at one point, so many years ago.

The afternoon light basks on them, kissing her skin and filling her with that warmth that she adores. It's gentle and so loving. Unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"Let's go home, Nik."

* * *

The Latin words roll off of Bonnie's tongue, taking her home to where she had always belonged.

She can feel Kol's fear beneath her fingertips. She tries to send a wave of strength through him but he fights it, almost shaking in front of her.

"Kol, you need to stay calm or this is not going to work. Stop fighting me."

"I can't help it," he breathes, sounding too much like that little boy she knows that he still is.

Her phone buzzes at that moment, breaking the connection.

"Damn it," she cusses quietly, lowering her hands and scooping up the phone. She sees the text from Caroline and feels her heart jump into her throat.

_5 minutes away. _

"They're almost here," she breathes.

And she resumes the chant once again, whispering the words over and over until connection is caught.

"Just do it!" Kol shouts. "Do it!" "_Bonnie_!"

And she whips her hands back, the magic pulsing through her bones.

The door crashes open, Klaus and Caroline nearly toppling over each other and through the threshold.

The hybrid stares at the coffin, where his newly restored little brother lays.

The blonde nears her friend but remains a cautious distance away.

Magic breaks through the air. It is overwhelming, tantalizing, and so addicting.

Bonnie can feel herself falling. Falling so long...so hard...

_You're stronger than all of this, baby. _

Oh, Grams...she misses her grandmother more than ever at this moment.

Another voice breaks through. A voice that she has started to become used to in these last days.

_I'm with you, lamb. _

Is it possible to feel something like this? Anything at all?

_It's going to be okay, lamb. Everything is going to be okay. _

And she fights. She can do nothing else but fight.

A loud gasp ripples through the air as Shane falls to the floor in a heap. She can feel her own knees begin to give out and Caroline swiftly catches her, holding her up in a lopsided embrace.

"Bonnie, you okay?" Caroline asks breathlessly, worry written all over her lovely features. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she murmurs. "I'm okay. Check on Shane."

Caroline looks like she doesn't want to let go but she obeys after a moment, allowing Bonnie to come to rest on the rickety chair before going to her knees beside the unconscious professor. She feels for a pulse and nods confirmation at her exhausted and bleeding friend.

"He's alive. Barely."

Bonnie's eyes go from them to the hybrid by the coffin. She watches through blurry eyes as Klaus remains with his back to her, his shoulders tensed up.

And then there is coughing-a loud hacking that is almost deafening to her ears. She can hear the scuffling and then Klaus reaches an arm inside of the casket.

"Kol? Kol, is that you?"

**.**

**.**

* * *

**I have to assure you, I wrote this before I saw 4x13. I had no idea that Klaus attacked Caroline and bit her! But the end where he healed her and started to sob into her hair, I was a puddle on the floor. Needless to say, I fast forwarded through everything else except the Klaroline. **

**I wanted it to be an accident, where Klaus bit her. Where she would save an unsuspecting citizen from being turned into lunchmeat by him in wolf form and then he would bite her when he tries to get around her. **

**The end, Bonnie faced with such a choice and two voices pull her back. Her beloved Grams and someone else's...need I say more? **

**Kol's little name for Bonnie is 'lamb'...SQUEE! God, I'm such a girl. **

**Lots of Kol/Klaus in the next chapter. But their reunion isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows, let me assure you of that. Even if this story is labeled Kol/Bonnie, it will feature other pairings, such as Klaroline and friendships and bonding. **

**Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews and hits and follows, etc. You are all wonderful, wonderful people. Let's keep the Kennett/Klaroline love alive! **


	5. darling, everything's on fire

_**darling, everything's on fire**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'so you're feeling tied up to a sense of control  
and make decisions that you think are your own  
you are a stranger here, why have you come?  
why have you come? lift me higher  
let me look at the sun and once I hear them clearly,  
say who are you really?'  
**-'who are you really', mikky ekko**

**.**

**.**

"No, it's the bloody queen of England."

The sound of Kol's real voice causes all of them to jump violently. Bonnie's knees tremble violently and she staggers backwards, coming to rest on the rickety chair that somehow appears behind her. She reaches up and Caroline's fingers tangle with hers, gently giving her the physical support that she so desperately needs.

After a moment of scuffling and a lot of groaning from the severely weakened Original that was currently being pulled out of the coffin, she finds herself looking into two pools of honey brown.

He looks all right. Okay, that's a lie. He looks like he has just had the crap beaten out of him and he has. It's tough to bring life back to a burned body and when it finally works, it takes a while for that certain person (or vampire) to look somewhat lifelike once again. When she had restored Klaus's body, for weeks he looked like he had gone ten rounds with a prize fighter and lost every single round.

The wounds are still there as well as the burns. He has a long, painful scar from where Elena had stuck the meat cleaver into his shoulder. His neck and forehead have healing burns from the vervain and dark, almost black circles under his eyes.

Klaus, however, looks like he is on the verge of collapse. His hands rake over his brother's face, his thumbs almost caressing his cheeks. He looks like he is trying to memorize every feature of Kol's face, imprinting every bit into memory.

"How do you feel?" he asks seriously. "Tell me, how do you feel?"

Kol takes in a shaky breath but nods reassuringly. "I'm all right."

"Good," Klaus replies. And then he punches him right across the face, sending him cleanly into the opposing wall.

"Klaus!" Caroline yelps. But before she can take a step to assist the fallen Original, he's on his feet again, cracking his dislocated jaw back into place.

"That's for scaring me out of my wits!" Klaus growls, his eyes flashing golden for a split second. "If you _ever_ pull anything as stupid as that again, if you _ever-" _

"Niklaus, you can calm down," Kol responds coolly. "This is never going to happen again."

"You're damn right that it isn't!" Klaus snaps. "Because I am going too-"

Kol steps forward. He may have just risen from the dead but he could still kick some serious ass if he needed too.

"You'll what?" he says lowly. "You'll dagger me? You'll put me back in that coffin?"

Klaus shakes his head. "No."

And then he does something that takes all of them by surprise. He takes a step forward; ignoring Kol's flinch, and pulls his brother into a hard and short embrace.

Kol's arms hang at his sides in shock for several seconds. It becomes so quiet that even Bonnie could hear her own heart beating. It was almost deafening how silent it really was. And then his arms came up and he gave Klaus a clumsy pat on the back.

"All right, Niklaus. Let's not get all mushy here," he says. But he doesn't push his brother away.

Klaus is the one to pull away first, having quickly gained his composure. "Right, now...what happens next?"

"We get him some blood," Bonnie says softly. "There's-"

"Right!" Kol exclaims with that familiar boyish smirk, cutting her off. And then he starts forward, the veins protruding from under his eyes. "I suggest the professor. Nothing like a good fresh meal to start my new life." He swoops on the downed man, ready with his fangs bared.

And then he is thrown back by agonizing pain. Not quite as bad as what he went through less than a week ago but enough to get him on his knees.

"Argh! _Bonnie!" _

Bonnie relieves the aneurism, shifting a glare into her lovely but exhausted features. "Let's get this straight right now, Kol. You are not going to touch Shane, you're not going to feed on him, you're not going to do anything to him. If you lay a finger or a fang on him, I will personally put you back in that box. And you know I can do it."

Kol nods begrudgingly, his blackened face going into a pout. "Fine, fine, fine." And with that, he stomps into the kitchen and returns in less than a second, a blood bag clenched between his fingers. He sees Bonnie on her knees beside Shane's form, whispering words into his ear.

"What are you doing?"

She ignores them, casting a hand over Shane's face. His eyes slip open and they are as blank and cloudy as a dreary fall afternoon. Her voice comes to a stop and she lets out a sigh.

"Is he okay?" Caroline asks.

"He'll be fine. I just wiped his memory. He doesn't remember any of this, not even his own name," Bonnie says, getting to her feet.

"That's brilliant, darling," Kol chuckles, noisily sucking out the last dregs of the blood. Bonnie wrinkles her nose in disgust, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"So, what's the plan, Stan?" she asks. "How do you propose that we find this cure, beating the rest of our friends to it."

"We won't have to worry about it for much longer," Kol says. "Because of this-" he gestures to his body. "-because of the miracle that you worked with me, that tattoo isn't going to help them for much longer."

"What do you mean?" Klaus asks.

"He means it's going to disappear," Bonnie says quietly, her eyes locking with Kol's. "That means that once it begins to disappear-"

"Your idiotic little friends will be stuck in the wild forever." Kol smirks with glee. "Isn't that absolutely lovely?!"

"No!" Bonnie burst out. "No, it's not lovely. They may not be able to find the cure anymore but Jeremy will be a personal blood bag for Damon and for Rebekah once they realize that the tattoo is gone. Kol, we need to get them back here."

"Only if you let me kill Elena Gilbert," Klaus says suddenly, stunning all of them into silent.

"I have dibs, brother. She and her pathetic little brother killed me."

"And I had to watch it happen without being able to do anything," Klaus adds. "I think I have the first dibs." "When the time comes, I'll flip you for it," Kol says, giving his brother a tiny wink.

* * *

He's poised...perfect.

He can spell blood. Ideal, tantalizing, delicious blood.

It is so tempting...so absolute.

He swoops, landing cleanly on his haunches before straightening up. He can barely hear his brother landing beside him and straightening his wings. They were hawks, ready to take their kill.

The two women walked slowly down the street, their heads bent close together as they examined a cell phone in the one girl's hands. So unsuspecting, so innocent.

It was the priceless hunt.

He catches up with them, his brother right behind him and falls into step with the girls. He flashes his dimples and one girl starts to smile, distracted by his wayward charm.

And then she is in his arms, his fangs long and extended. He realizes how sore his mouth really is, having not actually fed on a live human in such a long time.

The other girl is already unconscious in his brother's arms, blood dripping from the twin holes in her neck. His brother's fangs are stretched, practically cutting into his bottom lip as he feeds greedily.

The hunger takes him over and he slashes into the girl's neck, trying to ignore her whimper of pain as he drinks. The blood is enchanting, like a fine wine that has aged for just the right amount of years.

But as he feeds, he feels the girl going limp in his embrace and something stirs inside of him.

He sees the witch's eyes flash in his line of vision, the silver streaks shining like diamonds in the sky. She looks angry but also sad, almost like he wasn't worth her time anymore. Like none of this was worth it.

And he finds that he can't ignore it anymore.

He sucked the last dregs of the scarlet fluid from the woman's neck, licking his lips and capturing every drop. He then tears into his wrist, cracking the skin and then pressing it to the woman's lips.

"Drink," he whispers. "It will heal you."

The girl obeys, taking in the blood. He watches with a cautious eye as her wounds close over. And then he brings her eyes back to his and concentrates.

"Remember nothing. Now get out of here."

He stands back, watching as she turns on her heel and disappears back down the street from where she and her friend had come. He can hear her quiet sobs and chooses to pay no attention to them.

He drags a hand over his jaw and wipes away any of the last dribbles of blood. That's when he catches his brother's bewildered stare.

"What?"

"You healed her. You let her go," his brother says, still holding onto the limp body in his own arms.

"Yeah? So?" Kol replies, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He was still in the burned clothing that he had died in and that was the next thing on his list, getting a hot shower and some clean clothes.

And then they would find the cure and destroy it.

"That's not normally your agenda," says Klaus. His fangs elongate once again and they dig into the girl's neck.

Kol steps forward. "Nik, I think that's enough."

Klaus ignores him, continuing to feed. But after a moment, he catches Kol's glare and releases the girl, pressing his bleeding wrist to her mouth and then pushing her away. Once the girl has staggered away, he rounds on his little brother.

"What the bloody hell was that?! You are an Original, a vampire. I don't care if you spent a week inside some wackjob human's body, you are still a vampire. It's in your nature to kill."

"I am aware of that, Nik!"

Klaus's eyebrows continue to travel further and further up his head until something dawns on him. And then his bewildered expression is replaced with a sneer and he rounds on him.

"Careful brother. Your humanity's showing."

He received a swift elbow to the gut for those words.

Kol continues to glower at his brother for a moment, not saying a word. And then he releases a huff of breath and turns quickly on his heel, disappearing in a blur.

* * *

The two girls walk slowly down the rain spattered front walk, both lost in their thoughts. Shane had woken up an hour ago and had started wandering around the apartment mumbling 'balderdash' over and over again. Apparently, Bonnie's spell had been stronger than they had thought so they had driven him right to the hospital and had him admitted to the psych ward.

It was almost unreal. Bonnie couldn't believe that a little over a year ago, she was excited about going into her junior year of high school and having fun with her friends and hunting down colleges. Now, here she was, a powerful witch who had a vampire best friend and was working with two of the most dangerous and oldest vampires of all time to track down a stupid cure that will raise the most powerful creature of all time and bring about the apocalypse.

Typical life, huh?

In truth, Bonnie had never felt more fucked up than she did at that minute. The events of the last few days had drained her and she would like nothing more than to just go home and crawl into a warm bed. But no, she and her best friend were going to have to meet up with those vampires that she had just saved and track down the rest of their friends before they find that dumbass cure.

Bonnie wanted her old life back. She wanted to be the ignorant, snobby, popular cheerleader again that had her whole life ahead of her.

But she wasn't that person anymore.

_You're stronger than all of this, baby. _

She really wished her Grams was with her right now.

"Bonnie?"

Caroline's voice nearly made her trip over her own feet. Caroline's hand shoots out and stops her from falling.

"Thanks," she mumbles, running a tired hand through her hair.

"You okay?" Caroline asks lightly, gently looping an arm through hers as they continued to walk.

Bonnie nods. "I'm fine."

They walk in silence for several more minutes before Caroline speaks again, breaking the uncomfortable stillness.

"Spending a week stuck here with Kol in Shane's body. You must have such stories."

Bonnie's stomach rolls over. "It's something that I hope I _never _have to do again."

Caroline gently tugs on her arm, making her come to a stop. Bonnie looks at her, eyebrows raised until her friend manages the words.

"Bonnie, why?"

She pulls her shoulder away, turning her back. "Why what, Caroline?"

"Why did you believe Kol?" Caroline asks softly. "You've never been one to want to work with vampires before, I mean-look at how many times you set Damon on fire?!"

Bonnie lets out a sigh before turning back towards her friend. "It's because of Shane," she says softly. "Shane was telling me about how raising Silas could bring out the cure and also bring back my grandmother. I want nothing more than to see my grandmother again but it's wrong. What's dead should stay dead but it's kind of obvious that it doesn't work that way. Look at you," she adds, gesturing to Caroline's forever seventeen body.

"And if..." she swallows thickly, forcing back the tears that are sure to fall. "If Elena had never let Damon and Stefan into her life, then none of this would have happened. My grandmother would still be alive, you wouldn't be a vampire, neither would Elena. But I can't-I can't allow this to happen. It isn't right. And I do feel sorry for Elena and for the others but they cannot bring out the end of the world."

Caroline's eyes are full of sympathy. She reaches out an arm and pulls her friend into a light embrace, whispering 'I'm so sorry' into her hair.

Bonnie finally allows her tears to fall, letting them slip slowly down her cheeks and into Caroline's shirt. She quickly swipes them away and gently pulls back from her friend's embrace.

"Thanks, Caroline."

"Anytime, Bon," Caroline whispers. "Anytime."

* * *

The two men appear out of the darkness, coming to a light rest on the pavement, side by side.

Bonnie's eyes nearly bug out of her head when she sees Kol. He's cleaned up, bundled in a thick woolen coat much like the one that she had seen him in at the college, his hair thick and wavy, hanging in his eyes, and jeans and boots. He carries a duffel bag over his shoulder and wears a familiar smirk.

But she has to admit, he cleans up nice.

She can feel Caroline's quick intake of breath from beside her, not being able to help the roll of her eyes. Klaus is cleaned up as well, his dark blonde curls still wet from his shower. He wears a black coat that is buttoned up to his throat but brings out the electric blue of his eyes.

"Are you lovely ladies ready to go?" Kol asks as they get near. His eyes rake over her form for a moment and she catches herself tempting to send an aneurism his way.

"Ready as ever," Bonnie says. "Do you have any idea where we are going?"

"Much," Kol replies. When he looks at her with those honey brown eyes, she feels like she's being x-rayed. Damn...

"With any luck, we can beat them there."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving."

* * *

"Jeremy? You okay?"

The young hunter shifts uncomfortably in his makeshift bed, rolling over onto his side. He lets out a tiny groan of annoyance at the sound of his sister's voice but sighs to cover it up.

"I'm fine, Elena. Go back to sleep," he mutters, laying a fist into the pillow of the sleeping bag. He hears Elena turn back over in her own sleeping bag, her breathing evening out within minutes.

What the hell is up with his arm? It's like that is the only part of him that actually went to sleep, unlike the rest of him that sure doesn't want too.

For the past day and a half, while they have been searching for this cure, all he wanted to do was run. Run so far away from all of this. Hell, he didn't want to be one of 'The Five'. He wanted nothing to do with any of this.

But he was here. And he was working at finding this cure and then it could all be over.

Kol's words wouldn't escape him. Elena had blown the words off but they had stayed with him.

'_People have lost faith. And without that faith, they don't know who they should really fear.'_

He couldn't help but wonder if Kol had been telling the truth.

He hadn't wanted to kill Kol. When Elena had tossed that stake to him, he had hesitated for a half of a second, his eyes raking over the boy that he had once called his friend for nearly three months. He had taught him how to do certain swings in baseball practice. How to hit the ball farther, how to pitch better...he grew to love baseball because of Kol's love for it and his honest desire to teach him how to be better.

He wasn't going to lie to himself anymore. Jeremy had to admit it aloud or it was going to drive him absolutely insane. He wished he hadn't killed his friend.

That's right. Kol had been his friend.

The pins and needles sensation seemed like it was getting worse. He sat up quickly and shook his arm out. What the hell...

And then he saw it.

The tattoo, that had stretched all of the way up his arm and across part of his chest, was slowly fading away. The black ink was disappearing, crawling up his arm like an invisible eraser had been taken to it. The pins and needles sensation was fading too as the mark vanished, creeping it's way along his chest. He let out a small pained cry as the last of it obliterated away.

The Mark was gone.

And they were lost.

* * *

**I'm not proud of this chapter. I find it an annoying filler where nothing happens but I guess fillers are necessary. I dunno... I really don't like it though. **

**Klaroline/Kennett roadtrip... uh-oh... Kol's back to his flirtatious, pain in the butt ways. Gone are the sweet, private moments with Bonnie because, well, he's Kol! He's a flirt, a pig, and he's only been tender and kind when he's been around Bonnie. And then again though, he did stop himself from killing that girl and stopped his brother from killing the other girl. **

**The reunion wasn't so good, I am not proud of that either. And then again, this is Klaus and Kol. If Kol does come back to life later, Klaus will probably kick the crap out of him and then hug him. **

**The Mark's gone...what does that mean? **


	6. the ruler and the killer

_**the ruler and the killer**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'regrets collect like old friends  
here to relive your darkest moments  
i can see no way, i can see no way  
and all of the ghouls come out to play  
every demon wants his pound of flesh  
but i like to keep some things to myself  
i like to keep my issues draw  
it's always darkest before the dawn'  
**-'shake it out', florence and the machine**

_**.  
**__**.**_

She finds herself walking...walking so slowly.

The hill seems endless but an absolute amount of beauty.

But the beauty can mask the danger.

Her head turns and she looks up, seeing him holding out a hand to her, his honey brown eyes alight with excitement.

And she finds that she can't pull away.

He takes her hand in his, gently pulling her along in his wake.

"Here it is, Bonnie," he whispers, his lips a breaths away from her ear. "It's right here."

She looks to where he is pointing, seeing the pool of essence not far away. Her breath escapes her and she lets out a tiny sigh.

"It's true," she whispers back. "I cannot believe it's true."

"Yes, little lamb. It is true," he murmurs. "And it needs to be destroyed. If this is found by any vampire or hunter, it means the end of the world. This needs to be destroyed, Bonnie!"

"_Bonnie? Bonnie!" _

* * *

"Bonnie!"

"Huh? What?" The heaviness left her eyelids and she was sitting on a mossy ground, her knees brought up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them.

She finds Caroline looking at her with worry, her blue eyes tinged with gold and green. Kol and Klaus are on their feet, standing off to the side behind Caroline.

"Are you all right? You went out of it for a moment," Caroline says softly.

Bonnie looks past her friend to find both Klaus and Kol watching her as well, identical expressions of curiosity on their handsome faces.

But she can see more in Kol's eyes. Something that he doesn't want any other but her to know.

Their eyes lock, oak leaf and raindrop kissed green on honeyed brown, and she finds that she cannot look away.

There's the tiniest of nods exchanged and then he is moving again, just a bit faster than human speed, his brother right beside him.

* * *

"You went into a trance, didn't you?"

"What?"

Caroline lets out a huff of annoyance. "Don't play dumb, Bonnie. I've seen you go into trances before. What was that one about?" She shakes her head, pushing past her friend and heading up the hill. There's a stream near by and she can hear the gentle trickles of water, even if she wasn't a vampire.

"Bonnie!"

"Caroline, let it go. All right?"

They had been moving for about a day, driving as far as they could until they reached water and then moving on foot.

Bonnie was tired, irritated, and pissed off. She had never wanted any of this but she was determined to be stronger than it.

In truth, she wasn't heading for the stream to just get water. She could see a light brown head moving around down by the rushing gullet, dipping his hands into the crystal abyss. The late afternoon sun shines down on his hair, bringing out the golden highlights of those locks.

As he turns to look at her, she sees who he once was all those years ago. She sees that young boy with the mischievously dancing eyes and the smile that could light up a room. Just for a split second, she sees him as he truly is.

And then the vampire is back.

His eyes flash dangerously, that familiar smirk gracing his lips.

"So, you've figured it out, haven't you?"

"Why?" she snaps, pushing a hand into his shoulder. "Why not just tell me? Why screw with my head?!"

"I am not screwing with your head, little lamb," he begins. "My brother and the baby vampire do not have the power to probe minds like I do. It's not exactly compulsion but-"

"You can send a witch into a trance," Bonnie finishes softly. "Where did you learn that, your travels in New Orleans?"

"Actually, yes."

"Kol, do you know where this cure is? Do you know exactly where it is?" she interrupts as he opens his mouth again. "Listen, if we are going to find this cure before the others, we are going to have to move now."

"The only reason why we are stopping is for you, lamb," Kol says. "You do need your rest while the others and I don't."

"Exactly!" Rage shoots through her and she stomps her foot angrily. "Are we even close? Or is this a wild goose chase?!"

"We are close, Bonnie. Calm down," Kol says carefully. She can see the preservation in his eyes and knows. She knows that he's still hiding something from her.

"What is it?"

"Only you can get through, Bonnie," he adds, giving in the moment he sees her look. "Only humans can get through the barrier. And only a witch can lower the barrier."

The cure was hidden with Silas in his tomb. A tomb that was heavily protected by a witch's spell.

"Kol, I don't have that kind of power. I cannot break through, you know that!"

And when she sees his look, that look of desperation, that is what breaks her.

"No! No, no, no! I have finally been able to stop using it. I am not going to draw on it," she snaps viciously.

"Bonnie, listen to me," His hands grip her upper arms, giving her the tiniest of shakes and pulling her back to Earth. "Listen for a second. The reason why you have to use it is the break the barrier. And the moment that it is broken, I can break through and get the cure and get you out of there."

"And why should I trust you?!" she snarls, shoving his hands away.

"The moment that you put me back in my body, I could have killed you," he replies, his voice dropping to a whisper that only she could hear.

She feels her heart skip a couple of beats.

"But I didn't."

And she finds that she believes him.

* * *

"Okay, it doesn't matter that the tattoo is gone. We are nearly there. It shouldn't be too hard to find the cure."

"I don't think it's going to be that simple." Jeremy glances up, exhaustion weighing heavily on his heart.

His sister glares at him, her eyes heated with want and need. "We are almost there, Jeremy. We can't give up now!"

"And how do you expect we get in the tomb, Elena?!" Jeremy snaps, rising to his feet. "Even if I still had the map on my arm, how do you expect that we get in if we find it? There's definitely a spell that is protecting it. Once that stupid tattoo was complete, we moved so damn quick and we left Bonnie behind without even a second thought. We needed her."

"Only humans can get through the barrier if there is one," Damon says. "You are human. You can get through."

"I'm not exactly human, Damon," Jeremy shoots back. "None of us are. This has been a huge worthless waste of time."

"Don't say that! We are almost there. And we can-"

Jeremy finds himself wanting to lose it. Just to let loose and kill her right now because if it wasn't for her, they wouldn't be in this mess.

They wouldn't be in this mess at all.

The Salvatores never would have stepped into his life, causing his own life to end at least three times, maybe more.

Maybe even his parents would still be alive.

It had been an endless chain of events and now because of this, he was sure that the world was going to end.

And he wanted to walk away.

But he couldn't. He wouldn't.

She was his sister and he loved her.

She just...she just didn't feel like his sister anymore. The same big sister that could turn around and give him an ass kicking but also be the one person that he could tell anything in the world.

It wasn't like that anymore. And he didn't think it ever would be.

He was now one of The Five. He had marked from the beginning to slay vampires and when the one person he loved more than anything in the world had been turned into a creature of the night, what was he supposed to do? It was his duty to kill her and even when the hunter qualities took over, he doubted he ever would. Even if she had killed him twice.

"All right. I'll do it."

* * *

"You never told me why you saved me."

Bonnie lets out a small screech, practically leaping a foot in the air when she sees Kol sitting on her sleeping bag. "Damn it, Kol! Why the hell are you in my tent?!"

He gives her that familiar smirk before getting laying back, his arms tucked behind his head. "Your sleeping bag is quite comfortable."

"You have your own tent. Now get out," she snaps, giving him a gentle push as she strides past him. As she turns back, she finds him right behind her, those honey eyes earnest.

"Only after you tell me why you saved me."

"I already told you why I did what I did. I believe you about Silas and that we had to stop him from being risen."

"It's more than that, lamb. I can see it."

She wasn't going to give in. If there was one person that she was never going to allow to win her over, it was Kol Mikaelson. It didn't matter if they had shared a few tender moments while he was stuck in Shane's body, they had a mission they needed to complete. More than anything, Bonnie wanted this to be over.

But then, she glances into those honeyed orbs and she finds she can't look away.

"Admit it, Bonnie," Kol murmurs, stepping just a little bit closer to her. "Admit that you care about me."

She shakes her head, stepping back from the hand that reaches out to caress her cheek. "I don't fall in love with vampires, Kol."

That hand falls and hurt flashes in his eyes. She ignores the squirming feeling of guilt and steps back and scoots around him.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

She doesn't really know how she got there. One minute, she was outside of a large cave and the next minute, she was inside and furiously chanting under her breath a spell that she didn't have the power to do.

But she could feel the barrier slowly falling.

It's happening.

"Hello, Bonnie."

The voice wraps around her like a snake's body, slowly squeezing the life out of her. A voice that she hoped that she would never hear again.

"Shane."

And then the knife is dug right into her ribs, knocking her to ground.

* * *

"What the hell is going on?"

"Kol, just shut up. Give her time."

He growls at the baby vampire, the veins protruding under his eyes. She barely gives him a second glance, walking past him to the mouth of the cave.

They had arrived less than an hour ago after nearly another day of traveling. They had found the tomb quite easily, surprisingly enough, due to Kol managing to hold onto the memories that he had seen inside of Shane's head. But Kol had been right, only Bonnie could go in.

And for the past hour, Caroline and Klaus had been watching Kol pace back and forth in front of the tomb, almost like an expectant father waiting for news.

"It's been too long," Klaus agrees. "She should have been able to lower the barrier by now."

Kol raises a hand towards the opening, feeling it hit the invisible door.

"Damn it!"

"Kol-!"

A scream rips through the air.

"Bonnie..."

And he finds that he is able to get through.

* * *

"How...how did you get out?"

Shane stands over her, an eyebrow raised. "Oh, I've had a little bit of help here and there. Even though I'm not a fan of vampires, like you, I still find them useful in certain situations. Like you," he adds, running his bloodied fingers through his unkempt hair.

She feels a shiver of disgust, wracked by another shoot of pain.

"So? Who was it? Who sprung you the moment that I put you in the psycho ward?"

"You may know her by her moniker, but I like to call her Kitty-Kat," he smirks, a little trickle of light coming through and shining right into his eyes.

She sees the true evil right then and there.

"Katherine."

"Right!" Shane trills happily, still holding the dagger in his hand. "So nice to see that you keep up with the times."

"And why would...(grunt)...Katherine want to work with you?"

"Because she wants the cure for herself, silly girl," says Shane. "She wants it for some reason, I don't know why, nor do I really care. And she can have it. I just want Silas."

Bonnie feels another stab of pain before she manages to get her next words out. "Silas will kill us all, Shane."

An eyebrow raises and Shane sits back on his haunches. "Apparently, you've listened more closely to the baby Mikaelson fellow, eh? That's an interesting turn of events even though I could already sense that, having him ride my body for a week."

"It was the only way, Shane," Bonnie whispers, her hand creeping down to her side. She feels the blood seep through her fingers and lets out a small cry of pain. "It was...the only way."

"Don't you want to see your grandmother again, Bonnie?" Shane asks, his eyebrows going up. "Don't you want her to be safe and happy once again?"

"My grandmother is fine," Bonnie curses quietly. "I know she's all right, wherever she is. And I am stronger than you."

"Oh, are you really? You don't even have the will to draw on the power to save your own life."

"She may not," comes a voice from behind Shane. "But I have the power to knock your head right off your shoulders."

* * *

**Okay, going to leave it there. I'm not too fond of this chapter either, it feels like another filler and I had a really hard time writing it. I wrote it once, hated it and deleted it, wrote it again, hated it, and finally came up with this. Few Kol and Bonnie moments but it's darn obvious that Kol's got feelings for Bonnie but how true are they? And Bonnie…she doesn't fall in love with vampires and for a little while there she forgot that he was Kol and just saw him as the young kid who had his whole life ripped away when he was turned into a vampire. **

**Who was the voice at the end? **


	7. my echo, shadow

_**my echo, shadow**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'here's to us, here's to love  
all the times that we messed up  
here's to you, fill the glass  
because the last few nights have gone too fast  
if they give ya hell  
tell 'em forget themselves  
here's to us, here's to us'  
**-**'here's to us',** halestorm**

**.**

**.**

"We've got company, love."

"What-?"

_SLAM._

There was a loud growl as she felt herself being catapulted through the air, landing roughly on her side. She's on her feet in an instant, looking up into the very angry face of her least favorite person.

"Rebekah," she murmurs softly, darting to the side as the Original takes a furious swipe at her.

"You're not stopping me from getting to this cure!" Rebekah shouted, her fangs fully elongated and her eyes filled with desperation.

And for a split second, Caroline feels a sympathy pool in her belly for the elder vampire. To spend years as a thing that you despise and you lose yourself along the way...

"Rebekah!"

She hears Stefan's voice, and her heart breaks just a little bit more.

Caroline takes that opportunity to dart past the other blonde, her eyes taking in Klaus and Damon circling each other like two lions ready for the battle. Stefan and Elena are not too fear behind, flanking Damon like two predators. There's a blur of motion from the corner of her eye and she sees another figure disappearing through the mouth of the cave.

"Rebekah, this is ridiculous," she moans, but she is unable to stop her own fangs from slipping out. She knows that Rebekah can tear her in half in an instant and fear clenches her undead heart. She's is going to die.

* * *

"_Jeremy_?"

Just the movement of her voice box causes more pain to shoot through her, settling deep in her spine.

She finds that she can't even move her legs. Shane's knife hit her spinal cord.

Shane turns on his heel, a smirk on his features. "Hello there, Jeremy. Here to save the day?"

Bonnie's eyes rake Jeremy's bedraggled form. His lengthening hair is mussed and dirt and blood cake his cheeks. She can see a healing scratch on his cheek that rakes down to his neck.

He holds a long sword, almost a spear in his hands. His eyes, normally dark brown and full of mischief and wonder, flash dangerously.

And for a moment, Bonnie is afraid. More afraid than ever before in her life.

She can see Jeremy ripping Shane limb from limb and almost doesn't want him too. She wants _her _Jeremy back. She wants the goofy and strong young struggling artist back. She wants the kid who could draw her portrait almost like a photograph.

She wants her Jeremy.

Not this hunter that he has become.

Jeremy shakes his head, his fingers tightening around the end of the spear.

"No," he replies softly. "I'm done being the hero."

Shane just smirks again, stepping closer. "Put the knife down, Jeremy," he says. "You don't have to do this."

A similar smirk laces Jeremy's rugged features. He takes a step back, lifting the sword up in his hands. "No, I don't. You're right."

A scream chokes Bonnie's throat as she watches Shane's head fly right off of his shoulders, landing with a sickening thud a near ten feet away.

"But I want too."

* * *

Fear clenches his undead heart as he runs, darting through every open space that he comes too. He listens for the sounds of her heartbeat, using it as a guide to find her. It's becoming dangerously slower.

She's dying.

_No. _

And then he hears her scream again.

* * *

Caroline's head whips around at the sound of Bonnie's scream.

"What was that?!" she almost cries out, her eyes meeting Klaus's over the top of Elena's head. And then she turns, looking into Elena's eyes. "Elena, I'm sorry."

With one quick motion, she snaps Elena's neck and lowers her body to the ground.

"_Go!" _Klaus hollers, managing to grab onto Damon as he lunges for her throat.

She doesn't need to be told twice, ducking under Rebekah's outstretched arms and flashing through the cave entrance.

She knows that Klaus won't kill them, because of her. She doesn't even bother to look back, knowing that he will be all right.

But Bonnie isn't.

* * *

Bonnie stares.

That's all she does...that's all she can do...she stares.

Blood is spattered on the opposing wall of the tomb, perfect scarlet streaks. Almost like Klaus had picked up his paintbrush and let the paint fly.

Jeremy's breathing is the only thing she can hear. It's ragged and broken, filled with the unshed sobs she's sure he's about to let loose.

She can hardly blame him.

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie."

She blinks back tears, letting out her own sob. Her hand rises shakily and his bloodstained fingers slip through hers.

"It's over...now," she whispers. "It's...over now."

"That it is."

Jeremy's head whips around.

He is there.

Kol's eyes take in the sight before him. The bloodstained walls, the closed casket, the headless professor.

And the dying girl laying in his own killer's arms.

"Heal her."

She can scarcely believe her ears.

"How did you know?" she whispers, looking into Jeremy's eyes.

Jeremy doesn't answer, lightly stepping back and allowing Kol access.

Kol glanced at Jeremy, for barely a second, before leaning down beside Bonnie. He tears into his wrist and the blood pools, slipping down his skin like crimson tears. She doesn't try to argue as he brings his wrist to her mouth, taking in the sweet and coppery substance.

And then it's like she isn't even in her own body anymore. She feels like she is flying...soaring up so high. Lifted on the beat of an angel's wings.

She can feel her wound closing over, the feeling returning to her legs. The heat spreads through her body, pooling in her belly. It's so warm...so full of life.

"_Bonnie!" _

And then it's over.

She sits up too suddenly, feeling the blood pounding away in her head. Her vision blurs in front of her and she feels Kol's hand grip hers. She turns towards him and sees a similar look on his face, almost like he is trying to keep control of himself.

"Bonnie, are you okay?" Caroline asks, practically pushing Kol out of the way as she kneels beside her friend.

"I'm fine," Bonnie whispers, reaching up and grasping Caroline's hand. "Help me up."

Caroline pulls her to her feet, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders. She glances at Kol who is still kneeling.

"Kol?"

"I'm fine," he murmurs, getting to his feet. "Get her out of here."

Caroline doesn't need to be told twice, preparing to scoop the still wobbly Bonnie up and flee. But Bonnie then places a hand on her arm, turning in her half embrace to look back.

"Don't kill him."

* * *

"How the hell are you alive?"

Giving himself a shake, Kol manages to pull his favorite smirk onto his lips. "And what concern is it of yours? You're the one who killed me."

Jeremy glares. "I knew when that stupid tattoo disappeared. I knew that somehow, some way, you were alive. All of those vampires in your blood line are alive, aren't they?"

Kol nods. "Yes, they are alive. But pretty soon, there will be one more joining them in the undead if you don't leave it alone."

"Why?!" Jeremy snaps. "Why would I leave it alone?! I killed you and yet, here you are, miraculously in one piece. And you are here with Bonnie!"

"Bonnie's fine, Jeremy!" he snarls, pushing past the hunter. He walks over to the casket, glancing down at it's desiccated remains.

He can't believe that they almost missed this. Just one hour later and Silas could have been walking the Earth.

With one hand, he breaks the bind and lifts the lid.

The body is still, unmoving. Mummified.

"Is that it?"

His eyes follow Jeremy's outstretched hand. And he sees it.

The cure.

"Yes, that's it," he murmurs, his eyes still on the tiny vial. "Are you going to try to take it away? Give it to your sister?"

He couldn't blame him if he did.

Jeremy gives a slight shake of the head, so small that he almost misses it.

"Not anymore."

And with one swift motion, Jeremy scoops up the vial, holding it in one hand.

He glances over at the other boy, their eyes meeting.

"This thing...has caused so much havoc," he sighs. "This stupid little vial that only has enough for one vampire."

"We can end this, Jeremy," Kol whispers. "You can give that to me and I can destroy it and all of this will be over."

"I know that," Jeremy replies softly. "But I just wanted to look at it for a moment. I wanted to hold it in my hand and feel it's essence before you destroyed it."

"Jeremy-"

"Here."

And he presses the vial into Kol's hand.

"Just-just get rid of it."

Kol barely even glances at the vial, quickly pressing it into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Jeremy. And I am actually sorry for having to do this."

With one quick motion, he knocks the younger boy out cold. He catches him as he falls, quickly tossing him over his shoulder and speeding out of the tomb.

* * *

"You're lying."

"I am not lying, Bekah."

"Kol's dead. I felt it."

"Then explain why the tattoo disappeared on it's own accord."

"Witchcraft gone wrong."

"You have an explanation for everything, do you not?"

The blonde Original stubbornly looks away from her brother's ardent gaze, staring at her booted feet. She is tied to a tree, still dealing with a very stiff neck. It was the second time in less than two months that her dear big brother had affectively beaten the ever living crap out of her and she just wanted that damn cure. She wanted this to be over.

But now here she was, tied to a tree, refusing to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth.

There was no way that Kol could be alive. She had seen two of their other brothers die and losing Kol had ripped a part of her heart away. Losing the brother that she would happily throttle but could tell anything too and not have to worry about him blabbing it around... She couldn't let it go. She wouldn't.

The moment that they had found this cure, she had been planning on ripping Elena's head clean off of her shoulders. There was no way that she was going to let that little wench live through this. Every event, every thing that had happened, it had all been spurned through her. Through everyone's desire to save her life, to help her hold onto her humanity, blah blah blah. She was so tired and was damn sick of it.

This was her chance. If this was actually true, if Kol really was alive, then their family had another chance. Once Elena was dead, they could flee. They could start over somewhere else and maybe...just maybe be happy.

Right?

"Bonnie saved him," another voice breaks through her thoughts, gentle but also imploring. "She used the same spell that she used on Klaus. He's alive."

Rebekah could hear her own heart loudly thudding away, it's speed increasing with her hope.

"When I see him, I'll believe it," Rebekah whispers, her eyes darting to the still seated witch a few yards away.

That's when her little brother tumbles through the mouth of the cave, an unconscious Jeremy in tow.

* * *

The siblings stand still for a moment, taking in each other's appearances.

That's all they can do...just..._stand. _

And stare.

Tears are welling dangerously in Rebekah's eyes. She refuses to let them spill, a hand reaching up to cover her mouth. A sob threatens to escape and she swallows it back, almost choking.

"_K-Kol?" _

Kol gives her the tiniest of smiles before looking over at Klaus. "We need to burn everything in there. The bodies, the casket, everything. It has to turn into dust or he will still rise."

"Do you have it?" Klaus asks softly.

He shoves his hand deep into his pocket and pulls out the tiny vial. "Yes."

Klaus holds out a long fingered hand. "Let's get rid of it."

The two blondes and the witch watch as the vial is passed over, dangling for a split second in mid air, before dropping into Klaus's palm.

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie looks up. Kol is watching her with that same haggard expression that he wore back in the cave after he had fed her his blood. But his eyes, those damn eyes, were watching her intently.

She knew.

With one raised eyebrow, the cure is raised up in the air, away from the vampires.

And then it is blown to bits.

Gone forever.

* * *

The flames dance.

They dance ever so high.

She stands nearby, her eyes never leaving the nest. The flames flicker out of the mouth of the cave, the multi colored blaze licking it's way across the top of the opening.

It's over.

It's finally over.

She feels his fingers slip through hers. And she finds that she doesn't pull away.

"Are you ready to go, lamb?"

With a tiny shudder, the tears finally make way down her cheeks. She lets them fall unashamedly, allowing them to slip down her face and drop onto her shirt.

She's ready.

"Yes."

The other vampires slowly gather around, looking at each other and at the flames.

"Let's go home."

She can finally allow herself to relax in his embrace.

But then, it happens.

"Kol?" Rebekah's softly accented voice lifts her out of her cloud. "Kol, are you all right?"

Her head turns slightly and she looks into Kol's face. Blood is starting to make it's way down his lip, falling from his nose in a heavy stream. It's followed by another from his ear.

His hand comes up to stem the flow, his eyes widening in panic.

"What's happening to me?" he whispers. More blood comes from his other ear, dripping in a steady flow. She can see the lights beginning to leave his eyes as the world begins to blur in front of him.

"Kol!"

Klaus manages to catch him as he falls, cradling him in his embrace. The brothers slip to the ground, Klaus gently setting him down with his head resting on his elbow. His body starts to seize, his eyes rolling back in his head and showing only white. Those honeyed eyes were gone.

"Witch! Do something!" Klaus barks at her, real fear in his dark eyes. "He can't be-" The words don't even form on his lips. They can't. Because they couldn't be true.

She falls to her knees beside them, her fingers lacing through his.

"Come on, Kol..." she whispers. "This can't be the end."

His grip on her hand loosens as his body goes limp. His eyes slide closed...

"_Kol!" _

And then...

And_ then..._

_._

_._

* * *

**This is only the beginning, guys. Kol isn't going anywhere.**

**Think about what happened when Kol gave Bonnie his blood. **

**I do plan on this remaining around our fab four so Rebekah isn't going to be playing a huge part in this story. But she will be here and there, not totally gone. **

**Reviews are much appreciated. **


	8. ultranumb

_**ultranumb**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'(here comes the countdown)  
three- this is the new flesh  
two- this is the open door  
one- we've got everything you wanted  
you want it all right now!  
(3, 2, 1)  
violated, so degraded  
the show has just begun  
dominated, by all you've hated  
this will make you  
ultranumb'

**-'ultranumb', blue stahli**

**.**

**.**

There is nothing but light.

It is so touching, so warm.

And it all made sense.

The flowing blood comes to a standstill and begins to dry, color returning to his cheeks. She can almost hear the steady strum of his heart, beating much faster than ever before.

It all makes sense.

"What's happening to him?"

The other vampires can feel the warmth, the practical joy.

And it's amazing.

"He's turning," she breathes, feeling the light embrace of his fingers beginning to return.

But then there's something else that she feels. Something that makes her own heart almost stop beating.

A power, so brilliant, so unlike anything she has ever felt before.

She had felt that power only two other times before. That power had been plagued by desperation, evil, and sadness. But it had been the strongest power she had come in contact with in her short eighteen years of life.

And she had felt it one other time, with someone totally different. That power had been filled with compassion, joy, protection.

"Come on," she whispers, feeling his pulse underneath her fingertips. "We need to get him to a hospital."

* * *

Caroline watches as they pace the waiting room, side by side.

For the first time ever, she sees how much Klaus and his younger sister really do look alike. Sunset blazed blonde hair, same angled chin, scorching deep blue eyes that were within a shade of each other's.

But it's their demeanors that are the most similar. Both siblings have tempers to boot that can shoot off at the merest little problem and are wickedly ignorant of other's opinions but their own.

And they can love so passionately that they will rip out their own hearts to offer some kind of condolence, some kind of joy for that one that they love.

She's seen it.

And she can never forget it.

"I'm sure Kol's okay."

Rebekah barely even glances her way as she passes her brother.

And then Caroline sees it.

She gets it.

The siblings share a look of soft understanding, both of them scarcely even acknowledging her presence.

And she gets it.

Loyalty, love, devotion. That's what it used to be about in her life, right?

Not anymore.

That was gone from her life not too long ago and it became about finding the cure and ending lives that were totally innocent. Yeah, she knows that those lives have been resurrected now that Kol was alive (just how alive was he?) once again but still-

That tiny look shared between the two of them, the meeting of cobalt eyes on indigo, and she sees so much more.

Caroline gets it.

* * *

Her eyes are the first things he sees when he comes around.

Those heavy silvery green orbs, full of anger and tinged by just a bit of relief when his fuzzy mind comes back into the land of the living.

She is seated in a very uncomfortable looking chair, her arms and legs crossed so tightly it looked like she wouldn't be able to unwind them for several years. Her face is still smudged with dirt but she wears a clean shirt now, free of the dried blood and gore.

Even hopping mad, she is still the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his too long of a life.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asks, her eyes hard. "After all of that time, you didn't even think of telling me the truth."

"I did tell you the truth, lamb," he breathes, wincing slightly at the discomfort. "I just left out a few things."

Bonnie sits up straighter. "I think it would have been nice to give me a heads up that you were a witch."

He blinks.

"Well, us males prefer the term warlock."

She throws her head back with a sarcastic laugh, irritation and exhaustion so evident in her lovely voice.

"Where have I heard that before?!" she snaps. "Kol, not knowing what you truly were when I did that spell-you almost died!"

"I have died too many deaths, Bonnie," he says softly, shifting slightly in the large and very uncomfortable hospital bed. He winces again. He feels like someone had taken a baseball bat to his ribs. And then her words sink in. "Why, Miss Bennett. Are you starting to care about me?"

She glares, trying to break away from his gaze. "It's-"

He smiles in triumph. "I rest my case."

"Oh, shut up."

They both sink into silence for several moments before he speaks again.

"They don't know."

"What?"

"Nik and Bekah? Elijah? They don't know. They never did know. I was just starting to show powers when we were turned and after that happened, I never mentioned it again. There was no point."

Bonnie feels her heart strum painfully. She remembers her mother for a moment, knowing very well what she would be giving up when she decided to turn. And she wonders again if she could ever do it. If she could ever give up her powers with a choice like that.

She doubted it.

She wouldn't really be alive after losing her connection with the earth. She wouldn't have anything.

There was no way she could ever make that decision.

"They need to know now," she whispers.

When he doesn't answer, she knows that he isn't going to even give her the benefit of the doubt.

And it really isn't her place.

Bonnie rises slowly off of her chair, taking a delicate step forward. She eyes the many machines that the man is hooked up too, listening to the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

Vampires had heartbeats, yes. But their hearts beat slower than a human. A witch's heart beat just a little bit faster than a human.

But this heartbeat...it was human.

And it was perfect.

"What you did on the island, sending me into that trance?" she begins slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Was that the thing that was magnified after you turned?"

A tiny shake of the head seems to cause him pain. After years of feeling nothing, it was about to all come racing back.

"I learned that from a witch in New Orleans, right before I was daggered," he says softly. "She helped me with that so I could use compulsion a different way, only on other witches though. I'd never used it until then."

Bonnie glances out the thin sliver of glass that is somehow a window. She lets out a tiny sigh of her own, watching as the sunlight is beginning to pool into the room.

"You're not going to need that anymore."

"What?"

Her eyes dart to the lapis lazuli that blazes brilliant blue on his middle finger. The only vampire she had ever met that didn't need one but still wore it was Klaus and that surprised her. She would have thought that he would have gotten rid of that damn thing the moment that the sacrifice was complete.

And then she remembered that he had spent a thousand years as a vampire, unable to come into the sun without it. It had become a part of who he truly was.

All of the rings were the same, for all five of the siblings. A simple gold band with a tiny blue stone set in the middle, surrounded by gold filmy covering. Back then, vampires took what they could get. The rings that Stefan and Damon wore were big and gaudy with their initials engraved in the very center. But they were a part of who they were. Caroline's stone was set in a silver band, lightly crossing over the stone itself.

These rings were a part of who they were.

And who they were to become.

* * *

He had never felt this way before.

The power was surging through his body, desperate to find a form of escape.

He had to get out of there. He had to find a way to release this power.

_Run. _

_Run away. _

Those words pounded through his head, blinking over and over like a mantra.

_Run. _

* * *

Bonnie had never seen the Original pout like this before.

Seriously, he was over a thousand years old and here he was, sitting in front of her with his arms crossed and his lower lip jutted out like a five year old not getting his way.

"Klaus? Honestly?"

"It's going to take me a while to get used to this, love," Klaus replies softly, finally relaxing his upper body. "It's—"

"It's because he's going to die in about sixty years instead of living forever."

Caroline's voice is so quiet that the vampires almost miss it.

But the witch doesn't.

She glances back at Klaus and sees his hard exterior visibly starting to fade away. And she feels her heart go out to the Original for the first time ever.

Losing family was always rough. And watching them die while you continue on…

Honestly, Bonnie couldn't imagine and nor did she want too.

She takes a deep breath, lowering herself down onto the very uncomfortable hospital sofa beside the elder man. She can feel her heart begin to race as she reaches out a hand and delicately brushes her fingertips against his leather clad shoulder.

"Klaus, I want you to listen to me," she begins slowly. Her silver laced emerald eyes meet his cerulean ones and he doesn't look away. She wonders for a moment if this is what compulsion feels like.

"It's Kol's decision on what he wants to do," Bonnie whispers. She can feel Caroline's gaze on her but doesn't break her own. "And if he decides to continue on and restore himself to who he was before all of you were turned, you need to let him go."

Klaus's gaze finally lowers from hers, his indigo eyes dropping to stare at his hands.

"I know," he whispers. "I know."

* * *

The rain is almost hot as it begins to fall.

He ignores the shiver that runs up his spine. Of course, he had left his jacket behind.

Everything had kicked in. All of those senses that he hadn't felt in many years.

_Sight. _

Lightening flashes through the sky.

_Feel. _

Rain spatters down his back, chilling him to the bone.

_Fear. _

Thunder crashes, sending a rumble right through him.

He turns, nearly tripping over his own feet.

The power is overwhelming. It's unlike anything, absolutely anything that he has experienced before in his life.

He needs to release it. There's got to be a way.

* * *

"_Bonnie!" _

The witch jars awake, nearly falling off of the tiny sofa she had been curled up on.

"What is it?!" she growls, glancing up into the dangerous eyes of her reluctant ally.

"Kol's gone."

**.**

**.**

* * *

**So that's it guys.**

**I thought about this for a while when I began writing the prologue and I have to say, it does make sense. Bonnie stated once that when a witch is turned into a vampire, over time they lose who they really are and they can become quite sadistic and cruel. As in make Damon Salvatore look like a lost puppy. This idea presented to me on Youtube and I just thought, why not? **

**It does work that Kol could have just been beginning to show powers when his parents changed all of them into vampires. Esther may not have known if he was just starting to show them and now, that he has been a vampire for over a thousand years, those powers have been festering below the surface and now that he has turned back, those powers are going to be out of control. **

**See?! I told ya I wasn't going to turn him human! **

**Got some Kennett coming up in the next chapter, I think you guys will like it. Also some Kol/Klaus brotherly. **

**I'm sorry that it's so short, guys. I had to end it there. **


	9. light 'em up

_**light 'em up**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'i'm in the details with the devil  
so now the world can never get me on my level  
i just got to get you out of the cage  
i'm a young lover's rage  
gonna need a spark to ignite  
my songs know what you did in the dark  
so light 'em up, up, up  
i'm on fire'**  
****-'my songs (know what you did in the dark), fallout boy**

**.**

**.**

He lets out a grunt of pain as the knife slashes across his palm.

"A little warning would have been nice, witch," the hybrid growls.

The witch ignores him as the blood drips onto the map. She closes her eyes and suddenly, flames shoot out of the candles, causing both vampires to violently jump back.

She had performed this tracking spell once before, in a time that seemed like forever ago. But then it had been a whole different set of siblings and a whole different situation.

They watched as the blood began to trickle down the side, circling it's way around before heading for a home. It took nearly another minute before anything, anything at all could be known.

"He's there," she whispers, her fingertip tapping on the map. "He's right there."

The blood had found it's home, almost right in the center of the parchment.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Klaus replies swiftly. "Let's go."

* * *

Fear clenches his throat as he runs.

The lightening strikes, cracking a mere three feet behind him, blazing into the ground like a bolt of electricity.

Another terrified cry leaves his lips and his feet tangle beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground.

_You didn't deserve to live. _

The voice is clear as day, like someone was standing beside him and whispering in his ear.

And he wonders if the voice is right.

Slowly, he pushes himself to his feet, trying desperately to find a way. To set aside everything that has been swirling inside of him ever since he woke up into his third life.

Power...there was so much power coursing through his veins.

It needed an outlet, it needed to be set free some place.

How the hell was he supposed to let it go?

* * *

The hybrid was gone in the blink of an eye.

Both girls watched the darkness to which he disappeared into before Bonnie latched onto Caroline's hand.

"Come on."

* * *

The most horrible of pictures keep flashing through his mind.

He keeps seeing his little brother burning, sobbing in agony.

And his little brother is falling. He's _falling. _

A growl rips through his belly and he finds himself running faster.

* * *

And they neared even closer.

Caroline glanced out the window, practically feeling the heat from the lightening as it bolts through the sky.

"I think it's going to pour," she murmurs softly, eyeing the speedometer as it trickles up to 70.

Bonnie barely takes her eyes off of the road ahead of them, giving a tiny shake of the head. "That's not real weather, Caroline," she sighs.

"What do you mean?"

"That's Kol. He's controlling the weather."

Caroline opens her mouth to reply in surprise but finds her voice catching in her throat. She realizes then that absolutely nothing can shock her anymore. She cannot question anything. Right now, she is witnessing an absolute miracle, something that a person like her doesn't get the opportunity to see.

She had always respected Bonnie to a great deal. She remembered moments spent at her Grams' house, seeing the bond that the two women had and what was to come later. Even then, even in her own selfish state way back then, she could feel it. She knew.

* * *

_You are a monster. _

He continued to run, more lashes of power flowing through him.

_Murderer. _

He was a murderer. He had killed thousands of people in his stretch of life.

Many innocent lives, he had blotted them out like a gasoline lamp. Like they were absolutely meaningless and just a hazard to his take on his vampire life. And nothing, there was absolutely nothing that he could do to bring them back, to apologize to them and show them how sorry he truly was.

_Killer. Worthless. _

_Nothing can be done to save you. _

_Might as well kill yourself. _

"_Kol!" _

They were right.

He should just end it all.

"_Kol!" _

Another voice was breaking through. This one was different from all of the other voices. It sounded frightened. Almost tearful.

Those familiar eyes flashed in front of him once again. Those heavy green orbs that he was slowly starting to adore.

"Kol! Kol, snap out of it!"

Rough hands grabbed onto his arms and a cry rips through the air. He finds himself being slowly pulled back from the abyss and he is looking into dark blue eyes, not green. Eyes that belong to his big brother.

"Nik?"

Klaus looks more terrified than he has ever seen him in his too long of a life. Even more than when Elijah had freed them from their casket prisons and they had all lunged at him, giving him quite the thrashing that they all knew he deserved. His hands are covered in large red welts that are slowly starting to fade away as he holds them away from his body, allowing the chilled night air to cover him. He realizes then that when he had grabbed his arms, he must have burned him out of instinct.

"Yes, brother. It's me," Klaus repeats softly, delicately reaching out one hand. He doesn't even flinch when there is another crack of lightening overhead, his eyes gazing gently ahead. "You're safe now."

Kol shakes his head, something quite foreign burning behind his eyes. "No, no, no. None of us are safe. We're killers. I am a killer." His voice cracks with heavy use and he can feel his knees start to tremble once again. Klaus's fingers tighten underneath his elbows, giving him the support that he needed to stay upright. "I should have stayed dead!"

"But you didn't," Klaus snaps. "You are alive and there's a reason for that. You are more alive than any of us."

Kol pulls away from his grasp, staggering off to the side. He felt almost drunk, drunk from all of the intensified strength that he was starting to wish that he didn't have anymore.

"No, I'm not," he breathes. "I need to end this."

And before Klaus even blinks, his little brother is standing on the edge of the pier.

The river was high, rushing so quickly. And if Kol threw himself in, it didn't matter if Klaus was a hybrid. He wouldn't be able to get to him in time.

"Kol, please don't."

His booted toes point right off the end. He wavers.

And then...

And _then_...

"_KOL!" _

* * *

The aneurism brings Klaus to his knees. His hands clutch at his temples as the pain pulses through him, tears burning his eyes.

"_Kol, knock it off!" _

And then the pain is gone. Just like that.

Through his blurry vision, he can see Bonnie with Caroline right behind her. The squeal of tires had alerted him to their arrival moments before as the SUV had pulled up.

Caroline approaches him, gently helping him back to his feet as Bonnie pushes past the both of them, stopping a few yards away from the still teetering Kol.

"Bonnie," Kol breathes, turning slightly. "I should have known."

She lets out a sigh, her eyes raking up and down his form. He is shaking from head to toe, looking so like a deer caught in the headlights. She can feel the enormous amount of power flowing through him. It's almost overwhelming, ready to knock her over in an instant.

And then she gets it.

"Don't listen to them, Kol," she says carefully. Her own mind reaches out, touching his. She hears the voices, those voices of the witches of long ago. "Control it," she adds. "Fight it."

"And how am I supposed to do that, lamb?"

Her heart strums painfully at the sound of that tiny nickname that he had given her. It seems like forever ago the last time she had heard it slip from his lips.

It's so strong, so full of intensity. So full of pain.

This isn't a game anymore. None of this is. And she finds that after all of this, she cannot let him fall over the edge.

She takes another step forward, allowing her own body to take some of the overlap of power in. With that, she sees the trembling start to recede, some of the focus coming back into his eyes.

"Why is this happening to me?" he whispers, voice laced with so much pain. "Why do I feel like this? Why do I hear _them_?"

Bonnie finds herself on the edge beside him. She's not quite sure how she got there. All she knows is that she's glad.

"After all the time that you spent on the other side, they don't feel that you deserve this second chance. You didn't know who you were when you were created," she explains softly.

Out of the corner of her eye she can see Klaus and Caroline, watching them intently. Caroline's arm is around Klaus's waist, almost like she is holding him back...

"This is who you truly are, Kol," Bonnie adds. "And you have no control over who you really are. But you can fight this. You can fight _them_. I think you proved that you are a warlock at heart by what you just did to your brother."

For the first time in what seems like forever, a tiny, familiar smirk graces Kol's lips.

"He deserved it," he whispers.

She hears a sharp intake of breath and glances at Klaus. Caroline's arms have tightened around him, practically clasping him into an embrace.

It clicks then. For the first time in all of the months that she has known this irritating Originals, she understands. Despite his very strange ways of showing it, Klaus loves his family and would do anything to protect them. She knows deep down if had known what they were going to do to Finn, he would have gone out of his way to save him.

And this boy beside her, he has wanted nothing more than finding a place in this family. This was a boy who loved a world that didn't love him back, having it proved to him over and over again. Blood and pain was all this family had ever known, all they were raised to believe, to understand. And in today's world, this was not what was right and it was a very difficult learning experience.

She wouldn't be here if she didn't give a damn.

Kol takes in several breaths, slowly steadying himself. He eyes the hand that she holds out.

And then he takes it.

He practically crumbles against her, his trembling knees finally giving out. Her arms tighten around him and she gently rubs comforting circles on his back.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay," Her voice shakes. "You're going to be all right."

Caroline finally releases Klaus from her half embrace and he's by her side in an instant, gently taking his exhausted little brother from her embrace and scooping him up into his arms.

For a split second there, Bonnie sees the young boys that they really were. All those years ago, back to the time that their lives were pure and full of light.

She hopes that maybe they can find that light again.

* * *

"Here you go, darling."

The tall Styrofoam cup emits the delicious aroma of her favorite thing in the world. Coffee. She grabs at it eagerly.

"Thank you so much, Caroline," she whispers, taking a tiny sip and letting the liquid burn her throat.

"You're welcome," Caroline answers, setting two more cups down on the nightstand, her exhausted eyes glancing towards the open bedroom door. A soft light pools from the bedroom and onto the floor, casting it's way out to the young vampire and the witch. "How's Kol?"

"He's still out," Bonnie says, taking another sip of coffee. "Klaus hasn't left his side since you left."

Caroline walks over to the cooler that is resting on the opposing chair, lifting the lid and pulling out a blood bag. She silently counts their supply, making a mental note to go back to the hospital before they leave and swiping more. She pours a bit into a spare cup and recaps the rest, wanting to make it last. For a moment there, she feels it sink in. All of it.

"I still don't understand," she says, lowering herself down on the sofa beside her friend. "How is this even possible?" Her free hand gestures in the air and she lets out a sigh. "I never thought that this was possible."

"Neither did I, Caroline," Bonnie says. "But it's real."

"I can't get over the fact that Kol is a warlock. Wouldn't he be—wouldn't that make him the Original Warlock?"

Bonnie raises an eyebrow and her forehead crinkles. "Yeah, I suppose he would be."

"Is...is he going to be okay? He's going to make it, right?"

The young witch lets out a tired sigh. "Kol has a lot of powers. They are much stronger than mine ever will be, even with time."

"What does that mean?"

"He's got a long road ahead of him. He needs to get control of them, more control than it can seem possible. But yeah, he's going to be fine."

And then she sees Caroline's mystified gaze.

"What?"

"You're falling for him."

* * *

The sun was blazing through.

He winces, stretching out those long arms that had been so still for thousands of years.

Nothing could have been as bad as withstanding those flames though.

He licks his lips, taking in those last drops of blood that littered across.

One painful crack and his knees finally go back into place.

And he stands up for the first time in nearly two thousand years.

"Feel good to get out?"

"It feels damn good."

.

.

* * *

**Dun-duh-dun-dun-dun! **

**After being a vampire for so long, Kol's powers have been festering and now that he is no longer a vampire, they have come out and he can communicate with the dead witches like Bonnie could. And these witches do not like him since he is a former Original, and just maybe they have been spurred on by his dead mother. I don't know. You will have to make your own conclusion there. But with all of those voices in his head, he is overwhelmed and that's why he ran. Thank heavens Bonnie was able to track him and Klaus got there in time to stop him from hurting himself. I don't know if those Klaus/Kol moments may have been a little too fluffy, I'm not sure. But I do hope they fit for their story. **

**Kennett…oh, my Kennett heart…**

**Lots of Kennett next chapter. **

**I have decided that I am going to be writing a sequel to this when it's over. It's going to focus around Klaus and Caroline though because after this story is over, Bonnie and Kol's story will be finished. They make an appearance here and there in the sequel but it's going to be Klaus and Caroline's story and of course, Matt and Rebekah will be the supporting couple. Gotta have that Mabekah there. **

**Who's the dude at the end? **

**Oh, and a little teaser. The lovely MidnightRain6593 (you may know her from her awesome story 'Pray For Rain') and I will be writing a story together called 'maybe i could be your sweetest' which will be a Kennett/Bamon story where Mystic Falls is cursed and Bonnie finds herself cast into an unknown land with two very irritating vampires for company. **


	10. sacred bond of family

_**the sacred bond of family**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'oh, now feel it comin' back again  
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind  
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again  
i can feel it  
lightning crashes, a new mother cries  
this moment she's been waiting for  
the angel opens her eyes' **  
****-'lightning crashes', live**

**.**

**.**

And for a moment, Bonnie feels her voice catch in her throat. She stares right at Caroline, unable to form words for the first time in her life.

When she finally finds it, opening her mouth to retort, there is a light knock on the door.

Caroline sets down her coffee cup and gets to her feet, taking quiet steps over to the door. She glances through the peephole before whipping the door open.

Rebekah stands there, with Elijah by her side.

"Where are they?" she asks, her voice almost inaudible. Caroline wordlessly points to the hallway and the vampires brush past her without even a backward glance to either girl.

* * *

He hears the footsteps coming and opens his mouth to cast whoever it was away.

And then he takes in Rebekah's scent, Elijah's soft breathing.

He hadn't seen Elijah in nearly four months, ever since he had fled Mystic Falls after nearly murdering Elena. He didn't find out until later that he had been there again, trying to save him once again. His guilt over harming the woman that he loved, Klaus understood it now. After doing what he did to Caroline, even in his haze of grief and misunderstanding, he got it. It made sense.

Love really was a vampire's greatest weakness.

But then again, it was their greatest strength.

The woman he loved was in the other room, with that witch who had been there ever since his little brother had returned to life. He owed his own life to that witch and that pissed him off. But his brother was still here, he was alive and well. He may not be necessary immortal anymore but he was still here.

"How?"

That is the only word that escapes Elijah as his eyes rake over their brother's sleeping form. Klaus doesn't remember ever seeing Elijah look so young. Not even when he had brought Henrik's crumpled and bloodied form back to their village all those years ago. Not even when they had found Tatia's broken body laying discarded in a corner. Not even...

"Bonnie," Rebekah replies softly, her light blue eyes filling with tears. "She did that same whammy that she did on Nik and the wolf. Kol was in that professor's body for a few weeks before Bonnie restored him." She then shifts slightly on her feet, lowering herself down onto the bed beside Kol. Her arm rests behind his head and she lets her cheek rest on his shoulder, the sound of his healthy heart thumping away its lullaby of life.

* * *

_He is six years old and so anxious. _

_The sound of his mother's screams sends jolts of fear and trepidation through his bones. _

_About four months ago, his parents had informed him, Elijah, and Finn that they were going to big brothers once again. At a mere six years old, he wasn't really sure what to think of it. He was the baby of the family but wasn't close to anyone except twelve year old Elijah. But, it became a seed planted in his mind that he would now be responsible for someone. He would have to look after a child now. _

"_Argh!" _

_He shudders, feeling Elijah's gentle hand on his shoulder. _

"_Mother will be all right," his elder brother whispers._

"_Of course she will be," Finn says with a sigh. "Mother's strong. Ayanna and Father are with her." _

"_What about our sibling?" he finds himself asking, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "I'm worried about our little brother or sister." _

_There is a tiny light of understanding in Elijah's eyes. He pats Niklaus's shoulder once again, gripping it gently. _

"_Everything is going to be all right, brother." _

_And it's just then when the glorious newborn cry fills the air. _

"_It's a boy, Esther!" _

_They hear their mother's joyful sobs and their father's proud trill. _

"_Another son!" Mikael says. "Wonderful!" _

_The three boys find themselves peeking through the tiny window to the hut. Candlelight illuminates the small room, the gentle rays bouncing off of three faces. Nik sees the tiny bundle in his mother's arms and feels a soft chuckle slowly roll up from his belly. _

_He has a baby brother. _

"_Is he all right?" Esther asks, glancing up at Ayanna. "He is all right, isn't he?" _

_The bundle lets out a wail as Ayanna leans over. She stands back up with a laugh of joy. "He's beautiful." She then lifts the bundle out of Esther's arms and hands him over to the other young woman that was assisting. The woman begins to clean him up as Ayanna then leans over Esther once again. _

_And then they hear it. Another cry lifts through her torso as Esther's arms cross in front of her. _

"_Oh, my-what is going amiss?" Mikael is beside her in an instant, his hands gripping hers. _

_Ayanna's hand presses against Esther's belly. A smile crosses her lovely features and she glances into the faces of the married couple. _

"_I do believe that you are about to have another, Esther." _

_Nik looks over at Elijah. "Another? What does she mean, another?" _

_The same words leave his father's lips a moment later. _

"_Another child." _

_It isn't long after that that there is another glorious newborn cry. Nik can see the tumble of golden locks and can almost feel the piercing blue of the child's eyes. _

_A sister. _

_Finally, a sister. _

"_Mikael, let them in." _

_Mikael looks apprehensive but obeys the witch's words. He walks across the dirt covered floor and carefully shifts the door open, Finn almost tumbling through. _

"_Come in, boys." _

_The elder brothers assemble in, one by one, their eyes adjusting to the light in the room. _

_Nik sees his little sister in his mother's arms. She waves him over and lifts the swaddle of cloths into his arms. _

"_This is your sister, Niklaus. You have to protect her now," Esther whispers. For the first time in what seems like forever, she looks at him with tenderness and tranquility in her eyes. _

"_What's her name, Mother?" he breathes, his own dark blue eyes never leaving that tiny face. His finger brushes against her forehead, feeling the softness of her golden curls. She was breathtaking. _

"_Her name is Rebekah," Esther answers softly. _

_He finally tears his eyes away from her to see Elijah holding their new brother, Finn beside him. He sees a headful of dark brown locks and can almost see his honeyed mahogany eyes from where he stands. He has finally stopped whimpering and is just gazing up at Elijah quietly. _

"_And this is your brother Kol," Esther continues. "It is your responsibility to watch over them." _

_It was very rare, especially in their lifetime, to experience a beauty like this. _

_But it was there. It was there and it was so pure and so amazing. _

* * *

"Niklaus?"

"Hmm?"

He is finally pulled out of his daze to find Elijah gazing at him intently. Their eyes meet and there is a sudden spark. A sudden light.

He saw the whole thing.

"I didn't keep my promise, Elijah," he whispers. His eyes dart over to their twin siblings sleeping forms, both looking almost as angelic as the day that they were born. "I couldn't keep him safe."

Elijah shakes his head. "But you did, Niklaus. He's here. He's alive."

"But he's still going to die."

The older brother's undead heart breaks. "Oh, Niklaus..." The vulnerability, the sadness. He hated every minute of it.

But it reminded him how truly real they all were. Especially now.

For nine hundred years, they had been brothers. They fought constantly, of course. He couldn't remember how many broken bones, cracked skulls, and torn arteries had occurred but yes, they were brothers.

It would take a bit before he realizes how very alive his little brother was. Kol was alive, albeit a bit more fragile.

In those brief seventeen years that they had had together as humans, he could remember times that Kol would get himself into a lot of trouble. He and Elijah knew that Mikael would bring down a firm hand (a very firm hand), if he ever found out what kind of mischief the then youngest son had gotten into and they couldn't let that happen. Niklaus was served an all too painful reminder of how Mikael could be nearly every day of his life.

When Henrik came along, all of it changed.

And when they were turned into vampires, the first person he had seen right after turning was Kol. His eyes were black with blood, fangs elongated with the lust of the kill.

He knew then.

He just knew.

Elijah rests a gentle hand on his younger brother's shoulder, gently guiding him towards the doorway of the bedroom. They both glance through and see Caroline and Bonnie fast asleep on the rickety sofa, their heads resting against each other's shoulders. Both women, such polar opposites, so alike in the heart.

And they were here.

They weren't going anywhere.

Elijah couldn't help the flare of jealousy that sparked through him as he eyes Caroline for an instant. He had found the woman that he had wanted to spend eternity with but had lost her to the shadows. He knew there was no way that he could ever bring her back, especially after what she had done. But he finds that he can't hate Caroline or Bonnie. Bonnie had been the one that had saved his brother, bringing his soul back from the other side and bestowing on him and all of them a gift that was so precious.

"Look at those two," he breathes, his lips a breath's away from Klaus's ear. "They are still here. They are becoming a part of this family whether they like it or not. At the fear of quoting some mundane teenage films, we are in this together. All of us. Even if Kol will someday die, he is still our brother and always will be."

Klaus raises a brow and bites back a sigh. "I should let him go."

Elijah shakes his head. "No. Never let him go," he whispers. "You have the next sixty years to spend making it up to him. To bring him into that 'always and forever'. Sixty years is a blink of an eye to us but it won't be to him. Not anymore."

* * *

He feels an immediate presence once he beats his way to consciousness.

He can feel her magic, her strength. He practically feeds on it.

"Hey there," she breathes, her eyes overwhelmingly gentle. "How are you feeling?"

He struggles to shift into a sitting position. Her hand darts out and settles the pillows behind his head, her fingertips dancing on his collarbone. For a split second, just a tiny moment, he feels an electric pulse that has absolutely nothing to do his own magic.

"Exhausted. When is this going to go away?"

She gives him a tiny smile. "I don't think it ever will, Kol."

He emit's a small sigh, vulnerability creeping up. He hated every goddamn speck of it as it tore at his throat. He had spent over a thousand years as one of the most powerful, strong, dangerous creatures, using his lust for blood and greed as his dominance.

But he had never lost his appreciation for the natural world. He had never lost his interest in magic, in passion with the earth.

He had it back now.

And it made him feel more frightened than ever.

Having Jeremy Gilbert shove that stake into his stomach had been a piece of cake compared to this.

* * *

It all happened so fast.

One minute, Bonnie found herself sitting in the crappy motel living room with the Original family, going over simple spells and chatting about routine things. She couldn't help but think about how she would have acted if someone had told her a year ago where she would be at this moment. She probably would have laughed him right out of the state.

And then the next minute, as Kol works on a channeling spell with Bonnie's gentle assistance, Caroline suddenly clutches at her chest.

"Caroline? Are you all right?" Rebekah asks softly, her blue eyes tracing the other blonde's tightening form.

Caroline gives a trembling nod. "I'm fine." A gasp ripples through her and she lets out a tiny cry of pain. "What is happening to me?" she moans. Her body gives another tremble and Klaus is at her side in an instant, catching her as she begins to fall.

"Kol, stop," Bonnie murmurs, seeing the veins beginning to creep up Caroline's white throat. Her eyes dart back to the thousand year old warlock beside her. "Kol."

"I can't-" Kol whispers, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "I can't break it."

Somehow, Kol had linked Caroline's life to another vampire's. Just like Bonnie had linked April's life to Shane's.

"Kol-!" Klaus's voice was caught between a snarl and a half sob, the life slowly slipping out of the woman in his arms.

Bonnie took a flying leap across the crappy coffee table, her arms quickly wrapping around the taller man from behind. A wisp of power leaks from his body and into hers. She grabs onto it, pulling it as hard as she can, their connections finally clasping together. She continues to pull it into her own body, twisting and turning until the link finally breaks.

Caroline's eyes fly open and sits up with a quick gasp, leaning back into Klaus's chest. She clutches at him, her eyes wide with terror. He strokes her hair and murmurs words of nonsense into her ear but she doesn't calm.

"What-what the hell-?" the girl chokes out, the veins slowly receding down her throat until they vanish completely, her skin returning to it's soft and paleness.

"It's okay, Caroline," Bonnie says carefully, emitting a shudder as Kol pulls himself from her arms and vanishes into the kitchen. "It's okay."

She jumps to her feet, quickly disappearing after Kol. She finds him hunched over the tiny sink, his rapidly thinning shoulders trembling.

"Kol?"

"What did I just do out there?" he whips around, glaring at her. "What did I just do?"

"It was a crossing spell," she explains softly. "Instead of channeling me, you connected Caroline's life force to someone else's."

"So I almost killed her," he states, his eyes wide. "Ever since I came back, I have done nothing but harm the people that I care about."

Her own eyes widen. "Kol-"

"I may have been a vampire, Bonnie but I never wanted to hurt my family," Kol says, wild-eyed. "And I tried to stake Rebekah; I burned Niklaus, gave him an aneurism, and almost killed Caroline. I have no control over what I am doing, either or and-"

Bonnie's hand snaps out and grabs his arm. She can feel his instinctual thoughts trying to burn her but she repels it. "Kol, listen to me-"

"I can't handle this, Bonnie!"

Her other hand grabs his free wrist, her fingers tightening around it. "Yes, you can."

He shakes his head, his honeyed eyes practically bulging. "No, no, no. No, I can't do this. I cannot handle all of this. I can't!"

Another rush of magic spills forth. She catches it cleanly, gently pushing it back into his own body. His knees finally give out and her arms reach in, circling around his torso and pulling him close. Her lips pressed against his ear, her soothing words radiating through their bodies.

"It's like being a vampire," she whispers. "It's about learning the method of control all over again. It can be as simple as that or as difficult as the blood lust. But when you feel it, when you understand it, it really is that beautiful."

His violently shuddering body finally stills, becoming practically dead weight in her arms but she doesn't let him go.

Bonnie wonders if she could ever let him go.

* * *

"I'm sorry for my freak out, everyone. And Caroline, I'm sorry I almost killed you."

The blonde raises an eyebrow but offers a small smile. "It's okay, Kol."

Wow, she didn't think she'd ever say that.

Bonnie casts a small smile in Caroline's direction before her eyes lock with Klaus's. She wonders if he has torn himself away from her friend ever since the little incident this morning.

With a tiny incline of her head, the two rise slowly.

"Bonnie, would you like to come with me to get some coffee?"

"Why of course, Klaus. I'd love too."

Blech. Even the words taste horrible on her lips.

"What are you two up too?" Rebekah asks softly, taking a draft out of the last blood bag between them.

"It's nothing," Bonnie says carefully, "Just a friendly chat between friends."

Caroline almost chokes on the blood that she is drinking. She wipes her mouth and glances at her friend.

"Bonnie, are you serious?"

Even Elijah has to put in his two cents. "Niklaus, I don't think this is a time for anyone to splitting up."

"We are not splitting up," Klaus rebuffs irritably. He lets out a huff of annoyance and nods at Bonnie. "Shall we tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Kol asks.

"We-" Bonnie swallows. "_I _cannot teach you all the things that you need to know, Kol. Your magic is much too strong for me to handle. But Klaus knows someone that can probably help you."

Kol's gaze turns on his withering brother. "Niklaus?"

With all eyes on him, Klaus comes clean. That was one of his greatest weaknesses as a human and as a vampire, he was a rotten liar.

"Her name is Magdalene. I believe that you know her, actually. From when we lived in New Orleans."

* * *

**Had to end it there. **

**Uh-oh. OC character on the horizon. **

**I was thinking about taking one of characters from the spin off and trying to flesh him or her out a bit before the actual spin off airs and see how close I get but I threw that out the window. Magdalene is only appearing for one chapter, maybe two because I don't like dealing with OC's in a non-canon fashion, it's kind of hard to keep up with them. But I will say, Kol knows her and is scared shit-less of her. **

**I have been batting around a couple of songs that are the real theme of this story and the one that I really adore is 'Here's To Us' by Halestorm. It fits for the Originals and how they are about the bond of family and friendship and anyone who tries to intrude on that, fuck 'em. If anyone hasn't heard that song yet, please iTunes it or Youtube it and listen. It's absolutely amazing. **

**Lots of Original family moments in this and some Kennett. Gonna have LOTS of Kennett next chapter, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with that as well as a bit more Klaroline. Our fab four...bwah! Sometimes they make me want to cry. I guess that's really the point of this story is that it's about the family and about the love they have for each other and how Caroline and Bonnie later become a part of that family. **

**Special thanks to vilis91 for all of her wonderful help. **


	11. bittersweet happenings

_**bittersweet happenings**_

* * *

_**(a/n: **_**To put a face to Magdalene, the link for a great picture of Catherine Bell, my fancasting, is in my profile.) **

.

.

'the bittersweet between my teeth  
trying to find the in-between  
fall back in love eventually  
we lie beneath the stars at night  
our hands gripping each other tight  
you keep my secrets, hope to die  
promises, swear them to the sky'  
**-'young blood', the naked and famous**

**.**

**.**

She wasn't exactly sure how she got here.

She had to say one thing though.

This house creeped the _hell _out of her.

She had been around witch houses before; her grandmother's having been one that she absolutely adored. But this one-in this one, she could feel the dark magic. She could feel the power.

But she could also feel the light. The bittersweet joy that had once ran the halls with its arms opened wide.

"What happened to this place?" she finds herself whispering aloud, feeling Caroline's gentle presence beside her as they climbed the stairs.

Klaus stops in his ascent, turning slightly and glancing down on her.

"Magdalene happened."

It had been a three day drive, the four of them trapped in Klaus's SUV together for those endless hours. There would be occasional small wisps of power coming from Kol but now, it was like the spell on Caroline had never happened. His magic was slowly shutting down and it was starting to scare the hell out of Bonnie.

"Are you okay?" she found herself asking him as they climbed the long staircase. He was bringing up the rear, his handsome features drawn and weary.

"I'm fine," he mutters, barely even meeting her gaze.

_No, you aren't. _

"It's going to be okay, Kol." The three of them look up to see Klaus watching them, having heard (of course) their small exchange. "Magdalene can help."

"Or she'll kill us on the spot," Kol says, shooting his brother a glare.

Klaus shakes his head, his eyes swollen and puffy from lack of sleep. "She owes me. She'll help."

"She owes you?" Caroline asks. "Why would a witch owe you anything?"

"Same as how Emily Bennett owed Katherine Pierce," Bonnie mutters sullenly. "Only she helped turn the Salvatores into vampires."

Caroline visibly winces. Bonnie feels Kol's light hand on the small of her back, his fingers tender and soft.

Elijah and Rebekah had stayed behind in Mystic Falls, knowing that they had a mess that needed to be cleaned up. Elijah had heard that Elena and the Salvatores would be returning to town after the rendezvous in New York that Rebekah had managed to send them on after the battle for the cure and soon, they were going to know. The first thing that they would try to do is take Kol out again. There was no way that they could let that happen again. Klaus was enough protection on this journey.

Always a journey. Never standing still.

New Orleans was everything that Klaus and Kol had said it would be. It was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. The first night that they arrived, Klaus was driving through the main town. Now, this city was the real city of lights. Nothing but light-

And then Bonnie understands.

She gets it.

Magdalene's home was like a castle. Well, it was the first castle she had ever seen, so it was a good analogy. Four floors, the first one practically being a basement, adorned by the longest spiral staircase ever. As they climbed this archway, Bonnie wondered when they got to the top they would just topple into Heaven.

Klaus had been surprisingly tightlipped about Magdalene. When Caroline had tried to get it out of Kol what this witch was like, he even closed his mouth, not saying a word. Bonnie was finding herself becoming just a little bit more worried about how this woman was going to take to her if the mere mention of her was able to get two Original brothers to clam up.

And then they finally got to the top.

"Wow..."

"You said it."

The two girls brushed past the brothers, skirting along the wall. Bonnie's eyes took in magnificent sofas, chairs, tables, the works. Seriously, this joint really was a castle.

"This isn't even the half of it," Klaus chuckles softly, taking a tentative step into the room. "Oh, Magdalene!"

Bright move.

An invisible force picks him, slamming him with speed that Bonnie could never even muster into the opposing wall, leaving him pinned there with strings that no one else could see. Caroline lets out a scream and goes to move towards him, her arm caught by Kol's tight grip. Both girls stare at the new/old warlock for a moment before they hear a voice that sends chills right down Bonnie's spine.

"_Go back to Hell, Klaus!" _

"What the-?"

There is a clacking of high heels and this magnificent creature comes into view.

If there was ever a theory about witches not being totally human, this woman proved that that was true.

She was tall, nearly six feet in heels. She had dark skin and golden eyes that were tinged with brown. Dark brown hair, almost black hung in stylish cut around her face with slanted bangs that she could easily move out of her eyes.

And her magic was so strong that it practically brought Bonnie to her knees.

Magdalene threw her hair back, shifting a glare onto her beautiful features. She faced Klaus, her dark eyes laced with malice and intense dislike, heavier than any kind of look that Bonnie had ever worn in her life.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here, Klaus?" she snarled.

Klaus rolled his eyes, well, as much as he could due to being pinned to the wall. He tried to shift a bit, but alas, couldn't move a muscle.

"Oh, don't be like that, love," he tries to say. What does come out, because his mouth is actually glued up tight is 'Dwom't bwe zike zat, wuv."

Magdalene ignores him, her piercing gaze shifting and he crumbles into a heap on the floor. He hefts out a heavy cough and gets to his feet in a flash.

"Ah, I love that new spell of yours, Mags. It's absolutely lovely-argh!"

And again, Klaus was doing a face plant into the wall.

That's when Magdalene notices the rest of them.

Caroline is an absolute shaky mess, practically ducking behind Bonnie. Hell, if this witch could do that to Klaus of all people, she could only imagine what she could do to her.

Kol stands off to the side, his hands resting in his pockets. He doesn't even try to meet Magdalene's gaze, his eyes on the floor. Bonnie glances his way as she shoves Caroline away from her, her posture almost protective.

And Magdalene sees it.

She can feel it.

"A Bennett witch, huh?" With a small flip of her hand, Klaus crumples into a heap on the floor again. And he stays there. Smartly.

"Yeah," Bonnie replies softly.

"And..." Magdalene's voice trails off for a moment, her eyes falling on Kol's silent form. And then those eyes become filled with so much loathing that Bonnie never even thought possible. Hate and maybe even a little bit of fear. With one graceful move, she turns back to Klaus. "Why the hell are you here? And why did you bring _him_?"

"Wait-what are you talking about?" Bonnie snaps, starting to get a little angry. They weren't getting anywhere with this, anywhere at all. "What the hell is going on?!" She glares viciously at Klaus's rising form. "What is she talking about, Klaus?!"

Magdalene turns on her heel, scowling at the Original. "You didn't tell her?" Her head whips around and her eyes focus on Kol. "Or you?"

"Tell me what?!"

Klaus finally gets to his feet. "Magdalene, we are not here to argue about something that happened over a hundred years ago. We are here because my brother needs your help. And you owe me."

He was pissed now.

For some odd reason, Bonnie was relieved to hear that anger in his voice.

"And you think that I would help that little son of a bitch brother of yours?!" Magdalene scowls. "You're dreaming."

"I don't understand," Caroline interjects. "What did Kol do?"

"The thing that led him to being daggered," Klaus replies. "He-"

"Killed my sister!"

* * *

Cassandra was a beautiful young witch that had been at the prime of her life in 1904. Magdalene had doted on her, cared for her, practically raised her.

And then the Originals moved to New Orleans.

Klaus had become involved with Magdalene and it was too late when they realized that Kol was sniffing around Cassandra. It had been Cassandra who had helped Kol learn how to put witches into trances and pretty much, he used her and tossed her out like an old shoe.

Cassandra had been in love with Kol. She wanted to devote her whole life to him, even give up her magic and become an undead like he was.

So Kol obliged.

Even though he didn't have the same feelings for her.

"Cassandra's humanity was turned off," The witch whispers. "She realized what _he _had done and she took off. I couldn't find her."

Bonnie takes a step back, her eyes tracing the beautiful woman's face.

She recognizes that grief in her eyes, the same grief and sadness that she still wears whenever she sees her mother. (Which isn't often.) Of what her mother had to go through having her magic ripped away from her. It was a different choice with Cassandra, she chose to become a vampire because she wanted to be with Kol. But Kol didn't want to be with her.

It makes sense now.

And she hates it.

"Why did you dagger Kol?"

Caroline's voice brings them all out of their jolt, eyes wide.

"Because I ran," Kol supplies with a soft voice. All of them jump, almost forgetting that he was here.

"I came after him," Magdalene says, her arms folded in front of her chest. "I didn't know."

Those words were familiar.

Kol steps out from behind Bonnie, taking a tentative step forward. "I don't know if Cassandra is alive or not. Bonnie brought me back after I was killed but the rest of my bloodline-I don't know."

"When a descendent from a bloodline dies, doesn't the sire feel it?" Caroline asks. "If they are part of their bloodline, especially if they were turned directly by them-?"

"It doesn't exactly work that way, love," Klaus says. Caroline falls into silence.

Just twenty minutes before, the elegant witch looked ready to slaughter anyone who talked back to her but now...now she just looked defeated. Exhausted. Much like every other occupant of that room did.

"When were you turned back?" Magdalene finally asks, her eyes on Kol.

"Less than a month."

She takes a step towards him, followed by another. She begins to circle him, her eyes raking over his form.

"You're still very strong. And fast. You're not a normal human. "

"What?"

The knife flies through the air much quicker than any human eye could follow it.

Kol's hand darts up and cleanly catches it without the blade piercing his palm. He opens his palm and stares at the knife for a moment, honeyed eyes wide.

And then he throws it back, flying right past Magdalene's shoulder and embedding itself into the opposing wall with such speed that is deemed impossible.

But it is possible. Very possible.

"What the hell-?"

"How could you tell that?!" Bonnie barks. "How did you know?!"

Magdalene shrugs her delicate shoulders, eyes softening. "He's an Original." Her hand twists and suddenly, Kol clamps a hand to his forehead. Blood spills from his nose and his eyes are pulsed together in agony. "Come on, Kol. You can fight it off."

This time, it's Bonnie who tries to dart forward. Caroline's hand snaps out and catches her wrist, pulling her back. Her eyes are hard and focused right on the downed warlock.

And then Kol lets out another howl of anguish, coming up swinging. Caroline manages to pull Bonnie out of the way as the power flies by them, caught by Magdalene before being twisted and shaped into nothingness.

"I don't think you even need my help," Magdalene says with a smirk. "You've got it."

The power continues to fly.

* * *

"It's almost liberating!"

Her head turns and she lets out a tiny laugh at the boyishly joyful look on the warlock's handsome face.

"You feel pretty good, huh?"

He stretches out his limbs and emit's a soft growl like a bear just awaking from slumber. "I feel marvelous, lamb. Absolutely marvelous."

"Light those candles."

"What?"

Another small chuckle rumbles through her chest and she gestures to the array of candles in front of them. They are in the sitting room, recently repaired from the ruckus, and there is a beautiful set up of candles along the length of the table, all extinguished.

His face blanches. For him, it was different. He could control magic of the greatest extent, power that would pump through his veins white hot and so damn alive. A simple thing like lighting a candle, he hadn't even attempted that yet.

"It's okay," Bonnie whispers, her voice close to his ear. "Just relax and focus."

She can feel the joy slip through his body. The bittersweet of a world that was finally starting to love him back.

"Light 'em up."

And the candles lit up.

Oh, the beauty.

The serene and impossible beauty.

It was an inconceivable joy.

The last time she had ever shared a moment like this, a moment so tender and so sweet, it had been with Jeremy Gilbert. She remembered showing him what she could do with flames and it had been a time of innocence and of that real happiness that she still longed for dearly.

Jeremy wasn't here anymore, having gone after Elena once he found out Kol was out of the woods. He wouldn't admit it and neither would Kol but the two boys had formed a bond during their time in Colorado and you know what? It was human. But like it was, Jeremy wasn't here anymore. She believed that he had stopped being there after Anna had risen as a ghost. Maybe even before, she wasn't sure.

Caroline's words rang through her brain.

_You're falling for him. _

_You're falling for him. _

She hoped and she prayed that wasn't true. She didn't want it to be true. And then again, she had worked so hard to keep him alive, to bring him back from the other side and to help save the world that was rapidly being destroyed.

Damn it, this wasn't fair.

"Bonnie?"

"Hmm? What?"

Those honeyed eyes are watching her again, practically piercing through her soul.

"Are you all right? You went out of it for a minute."

"I'm fine," she shrugs off his words. "You did well. You did very well."

"Well, I guess having your powers go dormant for a thousand years can cause a bit of a problem," he smirks, that familiar uncaring expression settling onto his face once again. "But thank you."

Was she losing her hearing? Or maybe her mind?

Did Kol Mikaelson just thank her?

He catches the shock in her eyes and starts to laugh. "Oh, don't look so surprised. Yes, I can say thank you every once in a while."

She tries to remember the last person that thanked her for something that she had done...oh, right. It was Damon Salvatore.

Blech.

"Why did you turn her, Kol?"

The words escape her mouth quicker than she expects them too, no way of stopping them.

Kol just looks at her, almost sizing her up, before taking in a deep, very needed breath.

"She begged me to turn her. She wanted to be free from her 'ties' as she called it. And I did try to talk her down. Bonnie, I did. It wasn't really about love, lamb. I honestly believe that she didn't love me as much as Magdalene thought because, well, when I refused, she said that she would find someone else that would do it."

Bonnie soon finds herself lost in his words, unable to look away.

"She was young. Naïve. Just coming into her powers," his voice came in spurts, eyes lost in the memory. The real memory. "She was very strong, learning so much in such a short amount of time and knowing what I once was, the person that I could never become, I was attracted to that. I was attracted to her magic and her power. Once she realized that, that was when she asked me to turn her, to let her become free."

His voice then trails off, a small choking sound escaping his lips.

"Needless to say, Magdalene came after me. She wouldn't listen to reason or my regret and that's when Klaus daggered me, stuffing me in that box for a hundred years."

Her eyes widen in surprise, the truth flooring her.

Klaus had been trying to protect his brother. To keep him safe.

Look where that had gotten them.

"Hey, hey, hey," her hand slips out and catches his. They both glance at it in surprise but he doesn't pull away. "Listen to me," she breathes. "That's over. It's all over. And you never have to face it again, all right?"

He shrugs his shoulders, looking more helpless than when she was pulling him out of Shane's body. More helpless than when she saw his decimated and broken body after being ruined by Elena and Jeremy. Just a little boy with no friends, no family. A little boy left out in the pouring rain.

"I don't know if she was brought back when I was," he whispers. "I don't know if my line is alive, you know? I just-I can't-"

"Hey," she commands gently one last time before going up on her tiptoes and wrapping him in her arms.

They freeze for a moment, at the exact same time.

But after that moment ends, his hands come up and rest against her back, large, warm, and gentle. Her arms tighten around him, her chin set on his shoulder, her warm breath on his neck. It seems like a hundred years before they even pull away from each other, alas only a few moments.

"Thank you," he whispers again. "I owe you my life."

She gives him a playful slap to the arm before smirking. "You're damn right."

Kol lets out a laugh that reminds her of a puppy barking, his arm slipping around her shoulder in a light squeeze. "Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

"Thank you."

Magdalene's golden eyes contrast slightly before her face relaxes into a gentle smile. "You don't have to thank me, Bonnie. Kol already has."

"You helped him get his life back," Bonnie murmurs, her eyes falling to her sneaker clad feet.

The older witch shakes her head. "No, Bonnie. You did." At the sight of Bonnie's confusion, she chuckles. "You are his guardian, Bonnie. His protector. You brought him back from the other side and in return, he saved you." She laughs again when the younger witch's eyebrows threaten to disappear into her hair. "I saw it in his mind," she answers softly. "And I felt it through you. I know how connected the two of you are. It doesn't matter if it's romantic or not, you will always be connected."

She understands her words, albeit how truly terrifying they are. It also explains why she isn't connected to Klaus even though she had done the same for him.

The young witch finally meets her gaze and feels her own firm. "I'm sorry about Cassandra."

There's a tiny wince behind those words but Magdalene takes no notice of them. There's just sadness. "I hope I can find her someday. If she is still alive."

"You will. I know you will."

This really isn't forgiveness. None of it is. It is understanding and compassion. Loyalty and maybe even a little bit of trust that can be found from the broken and battered ashes.

"Goodbye Bonnie Bennett," Magdalene murmurs. "And good luck with your future."

She looks up to see the others already by the SUV, Kol at the driver's side. He winks and gives a slight cock of the head, practically a 'come hither' look and she fights rolling her eyes. Klaus and Caroline are on opposite sides of the back doors, Klaus looking all so 'hyrbidy' and mysterious. She made a mental note to herself to find out exactly why Magdalene owed him and why she gave in. Now wasn't the time to push. And Caroline looked the happiest of all, her eyes crinkled up with love and joy and readiness to take on the world.

It was finally over.

Bonnie Bennett never thought she would go Team Original but here she was.

And she wouldn't change it for the world.

* * *

The man stands staring at the bodies, disgust curling up in his belly.

He never wanted to become a creature of the night, no matter how short of a time it was going to be.

But _still_...

He pulls his cell phone from his pocket, still fumbling with the buttons on the strange device that he was desperately trying to get used too. It was a whole new world and he had to learn. He had to be ready to take it down fighting.

"_Hello, this is 911. What is your emergency?" _

The annoyingly cheerful voice on the other end of the line makes his stomach roll and he almost vomits up all the blood that he had just taken in.

"Hello, I would like to report four bodies..."

.

.

* * *

**Eeeehhh!**

**KENNETT HUG. **

**NEED I SAY MORE?! **

**BRING ON THE ROMANCE!**

**I'm so sorry this update is so late. Got so swept up in a bunch of bull in my real life. Sometimes I wish I could just disappear into the fanfiction world and live there, it would be a lot easier than real life. **

**Back to action quite soon. **

**I hope you liked Magdalene, I feel like she might have been a little two dimensional. This is the only chapter she is going to appear in but if anyone likes, I may bring her back later, I'm not sure. **

**My multicollab with MidnightRain6593 and Anne04 is up and running. Enjoy the irritating prologue to 'maybe i could be your sweetest' with nothing but Kennett and Bamon. **


	12. silas

_**silas**_

* * *

_**(a/n: **_**The link for my fancast for Silas is posted in my profile. I decided to go with Charlie Hunnan from Sons of Anarchy. He just has a much more Silas look, not the clean cut boy that they cast on the show.)**

_**.**_

_**.**_

'i've seen it all before, you back out, and everything's changing  
i needed something more, you stepped down, so what are you chasing?  
i put it on rewind for this time only  
(is that what you really want?)  
i realize that i got red hands, i wanna change this (day-oh)  
don't ask me why i choose to lie, i stay blind, oh (day-oh)  
it's clear to me that you are human too,  
your accusations are burning through-oo  
(is that what you really want?)  
oh yeah, oh yeah-ah, that gun is loaded  
but it's not in my hand'**  
****-'red hands', walk off the earth**

**.**

**.**

He watches the young man as he walks from the building, heading for the sleek black truck that was obviously his.

This kid was the perfect target. So unguarded, so oblivious to everything around him.

He needs to feed, damn it.

He needs to take the life force so he can continue to survive but his damn humanity is getting in the way.

In the past months since being brought back, he had hid in the shadows and fed quietly. Every person that he took, he would make sure to make it as quick and humane as possible. Being a warlock for nearly thirty five years before becoming entombed, he knew that just taking life without regard was something that was going to send him straight to hell and he lived by that. Today though, it was his only way of survival.

He wanted to die.

Everything about his resurrection, about being thrust into this new world that he was so unfamiliar with...he hated it.

There was a place in the afterlife that was waiting for him, along with his beloved. He would see her again.

He eyes the boy once again. He has to act now or he's going to lose his chance.

Now, Silas! Now!

So he springs.

He's faster than any human eye can see but somehow, the boy isn't caught off guard. He whirls around, catching the wrist that had come up to clamp over his mouth and twisting it, turning so quickly and sharply that he feels it crack.

That same hand, he can see the ink of the tattoo.

"Ah..." he says aloud. "You're one of the brothers, are you not?"

The boy smirks. "Just found out. Don't know who marked me but for some damn reason, I am."

That was the one good thing about being over two thousand years old and living on human souls. The Hunter's Curse didn't affect him.

He blinks, coming to a standstill for a moment. His eyes meet the boy's dark blue ones and he gives a bittersweet smile.

At a different time, he'd be defending this boy.

Now he was going to kill him.

"I'll make this quick," he sighs. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

"Oh, my god."

Bonnie blinks, glancing over at the blonde beside her on the couch.

"What is it?"

Caroline seems to be gripping her cell phone so hard that it threatens to splinter beneath her fingers. Her eyes dilate wide with fear and trepidation, alarm in her pretty features.

They had been living in a penthouse apartment for the last month, somehow getting along with the Originals. Klaus had rented the place out and when they got there, they discovered that there was only three bedrooms. The girls took one while Elijah and Kol took the other two, booting Klaus out to the sofa. His moaning and groaning could be heard all through the first night, whining about how hard the couch was and how he needed his beauty rest.

It may seem odd...okay, it was very odd, but it was a comfortable living arrangement. Kol was able to work with his magic in private, away from others without the fear of hurting anyone. He was still hearing the voices of the witches but they were fading away. He was able to fight it even more.

Rebekah and Caroline were somewhat getting along, only glaring at each other once a day now instead of every hour. Bonnie made sure to stay the hell out of that one.

Elijah stayed. He didn't disappear like it was usually his prerogative to do so. He stayed right there, never leaving his family's sight. Or was it, he never let his family out of his sight?

Caroline had finally been able to call her mother and let her know that she was okay. Bonnie didn't even bother to call her father, wondering if Rudy had even noticed that she was gone. Liz Forbes had informed Caroline that she and Bonnie had officially been declared missing, Amber Alerts being stretched for the both of them. All the vampires and the witches could hear the yelling and the screaming coming from that phone all night as the elder Forbes let her daughter have it before breaking down in tears.

Once the dust had settled, they had learned that the Salvatores and Elena and Jeremy had returned from New York, all safely compelled by Klaus and Rebekah, not remembering a thing about the battle for the cure on the mountain. They were settling back into their 'who does Elena love more' feud with an irritated Jeremy on the sidelines, the quest for the cure completely forgotten. They were also assisting in the search for Caroline and Bonnie but it didn't seem like finding their friends was really their top priority.

Big surprise there.

It had become much more evident over the past several weeks that Bonnie and Caroline had become a part of this family, even though it was the last thing on Bonnie's list that she would ever be privy too.

They had been accepted, not with open loving arms, but with an honest hand.

Klaus was making his lovey-dovey eyes at Caroline once again, now that she was finally within his grasp and Caroline was standing firm, reminding him that if he didn't cut it the hell out, she would be able to walk right out that door and never come back. She was only there for Bonnie.

Bonnie and Kol had settled back into their snarky, comfortable way. He would continue to make innuendos at her and she would turn around and give him a witchy aneurism, Rebekah sometime getting in the middle of their fights. But he never brought up what happened on that mountain before the fight for the cure. And she never brought it up.

It was all but forgotten. It never would be.

Now wasn't the time.

"Caroline, what is it?" Bonnie demanded for the third time, finally wrenching the splitting cell phone away from her. She glimpses what is on the screen and feels a gasp rip her throat. "Oh, god..."

They were alone in the apartment, the brothers having gone out hunting a while ago. Rebekah had stayed behind, having cited that she needed a break from Kol's continuous 'zapping of her brain for practice', taking in a few blood bags instead.

That's when Rebekah pops in.

"What's all the shouting for?" the blonde asks, nursing a blood bag. The blood bags were for Elijah and Caroline mostly but sometimes, Elijah would hunt with Niklaus.

"Do you remember Matt Donovan?" Caroline asks, her eyes shifting into a glare. "The boy you 'fancied' and then ran off a bridge?"

Rebekah rolls her eyes. "I don't 'fancy', Caroline. I like."

"Whatever."

"What's wrong with Matt? Is he all right?"

"No," Bonnie responds, her finger pressing to the phone screen. "He's missing."

"Missing? What do you mean, he's missing?"

"Why do you care?" Caroline scowls.

"Because Matt was the only person in that little pony town that treated me decent, that's why!" Rebekah growls. "What happened?"

Bonnie looks down at the phone, reading over the headline for the tenth time.

"It says that he is the 'third' disappearance in a matter of months, having disappeared last night from outside the Grille. It says that his keys and his truck were found in the parking lot but no him. I don't understand-"

Caroline leaps off the couch in vampire speed, disappearing from the living room and returning moments later with her jacket.

"Bonnie, we need to go. We have to go home."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You're not going anywhere without me," Rebekah shoots back, already shrugging into her own jacket.

"And who said that you were coming with us?" Caroline responded spitefully. "You nearly killed him!" Despite living together for nearly a month, the girls still butted heads. It usually took an aneurism to get them apart when they really got into it but mostly from Bonnie. Klaus's splitting headache for nearly a week after Kol had nailed him with one was a nice little reminder. Neither Caroline nor Rebekah were quite eager to be on the receiving end of one of them.

Rebekah crosses her arms in front of her chest, glaring at the other blonde. "How many times-"

"All right!" Bonnie's voice interjects. "Enough! Put the claws away and remember that this is Matt, all right? He's our friend. And yes, no matter how pissed off he was for being nearly murdered by you, Rebekah, he did still give a damn about you." Rebekah's look of satisfaction makes her want to vomit.

"I'll get my car," Rebekah says, ignoring Caroline's glower.

"What about Klaus, Elijah, and Kol?" Caroline asks once Rebekah is gone. "Should we just leave a note or-?"

Bonnie tries to push back the swoop of guilt in her belly. It was time for the break. Silas was down, never to be heard of again (hopefully), Kol was doing just fine with his powers, Klaus had his precious little family back, and all seemed well in Mystic Falls. She didn't need to be there anymore. Neither of them did.

Elijah really didn't play a part in this, except for the fact that he watched over all of them. Bonnie was very aware of the feelings that he still had for Elena, it was written all over his face any time a conversation went about Mystic Falls. Those feelings weren't ever going to go away but the fact that Elena had helped 'kill' Kol was still there. A person cannot move past that. Well, a person that wasn't Elena herself, that is.

Klaus and Caroline were growing closer, much to Caroline's chargin. She had no reason to be there anymore but she was, having walked away from her family but still getting word to her mother that she was all right. Bonnie had seen the worry and the fear in her face when Magdalene had introduced Klaus to her walls. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't in denial.

Okay, maybe she was.

Her blonde friend continuously jumped on her about her feelings for Kol and just maybe she had some. She wasn't sure-oh, damn. Right now, she was helping the man who had threatened to kill her less than two months ago. This was a man that had been an Original vampire for a thousand years, had been neutralized and desiccated for over a century, returned, died, returned again, turned and became a warlock. The Original warlock. How the hell was she supposed to cozy up to that?

But then her thoughts would travel to Matt. Poor Matt who had been left completely out of the loop and probably thought that she and Caroline were dead. Elena was a vampire and wanted nearly nothing to do with him anymore, her head wrapped around that dumb cure-maybe not if the supposed compulsion worked-and her feelings for Stefan and Damon.

She missed Elena very much but knew deep down that the real Elena had died on that bridge. Matt was still here though. Somewhere-maybe alive, maybe dead.

She had to try.

* * *

The drive back to Mystic Falls took place on back roads, away from highways and most of the police. If she and Caroline were declared missing, there still had to be an APB out or something so they weren't taking any chances. It took a handful of hours before they drove into darkness and found their way home.

All three of their phones were going crazy. Bonnie finally turned hers off, ignoring the nameless texts and missed calls from a certain vampy warlock. He even tried calling Caroline and of course his twin, causing both blondes to ultimately turn theirs off as well.

"Don't feel guilty, Bonnie," Caroline warns quietly as the car pulls up behind the Forbes house. "Don't."

"I'm not, Caroline," Bonnie snaps back, rolling her eyes. "Thank you, Rebekah."

The older blonde shrugs her shoulders. "Go get some sleep. I'm going home and waiting for my brothers. I know they will be catching up with us soon enough."

"I hope not," Caroline says with her own eye roll, gently closing the car door. "But thanks."

Rebekah shrugs again, kicking the car back into gear and disappearing back onto the wooded road.

"Caroline Beula Forbes!"

The taller girl's shoulders immediately go into a shudder, head bowed. "Uh-oh."

Bonnie smirks, turning the girl around and giving her a shove. "You're gonna get grounded."

Both of them glimpse the sheriff as she strides across the lawn, terrycloth robe wrapped tightly around her, same blue eyes as her daughter's that are filled with angry and relieved tears.

"If I wasn't so relieved to see you, I would smack you!" Liz hollers before pulling her daughter into a hard hug.

* * *

"Hello sister."

Rebekah lets out a small yelp as the light flickers on, filling the darkened room with a low pool of golden haze. As her eyes adjust, she sees Kol sitting on the sofa, flanked by Klaus standing behind him.

"Thank you for scaring me half to death!" she snarls, resting her hands on her hips. "How the hell did you three get back here before us?"

"Where's Bonnie?" is all that comes out of Kol's mouth as he stands up.

"She's at Caroline's house," Rebekah says. "Quit acting like a jealous boyfriend, she's not off gallivanting with Jeremy Gilbert."

At the mention of the Gilbert boy, Kol's eyes harden, losing their honeyed air.

"Why are we back here, Rebekah?" Elijah asks, stepping out from his spot in the shadows. "I thought we had left Mystic Falls for good." Rebekah folds her arms in front of her chest, setting a stone cold glare at her brothers. "I think Caroline, Bonnie, and I were just tired of being cooped up in that tiny apartment with you three for company."

Klaus's nostrils flare with anger and he zips around the sofa within seconds, standing in front of her with his teeth practically bared. "Rebekah, we cannot have this family separated again! The last time that happened-"

"I know!" Rebekah shouts, cutting him off. "You watched Kol die!" Klaus falls silent. Elijah stares, lips pursed. Kol freezes in his silent haste for the door, turning slightly on his heel to gaze at his twin sister. "Don't you understand that I think about that everyday? That I walked away from you, from Kol?! I mean, I know he was alive, just locked up in that stupid Shane's body, but he still died! And you watched him die, unable to do anything about it. I think about that moment every damn day!"

"Rebekah-"

She shakes her head, holding up a hand. "But in case any one of you three idiots have pulled your heads out of your asses and paid attention to the news, something is happening here. And someone-that I care about went missing."

"Who?" Elijah asks softly.

"Matt Donovan."

"The commoner?!" Kol's voice causes her to nearly jump out of her skin. "You still have a thing for that football playing, beer pouring, fry serving-"

"If you say another word, I will knock out your pretty little teeth," Rebekah snarls, her fangs slipping down for the first time in what seems like forever. Hell, Kol didn't have fangs anymore but he could still pack a good punch. Not that he needed to with the power of blood vessel bursting aneurisms just through a mere blink of an eye.

"Both of you, shut up for a moment," Klaus snaps, stepping between them. "Why is he missing? What happened?"

Once Rebekah explained the information that she did know, Kol was opening his mouth to retort some crude comment.

And then her phone rang.

"It's Bonnie," Rebekah says, glancing at the ID. She accepts the call and holds the phone up to her ear. At the mere sound of Bonnie's voice, Kol feels his jumpy nerves start to relax.

"After Caroline's mom stopped yelling at us, she told us more about Matt," Bonnie explains. "One town over, four people went missing a few weeks ago and their bodies were found, drained of blood about a week later. But their throats weren't torn into, they were cut, by a blade of some sort. How many vampires take blood that way?"

"Not many I've heard of," Klaus says. "Go on."

"The police are calling it an animal attack but it doesn't sound right. And it doesn't sound like a vampire."

"That's because it's not."

That came from Kol.

"What?"

"Vampires don't clean up after themselves," Kol says. "But someone who had experience like-"

"Wait a moment! If you say Silas, I will knock out your teeth!" Rebekah growls.

"It can't be Silas, Kol," Bonnie says. "The tomb is destroyed. The cure's gone."

"Maybe not."

"How is that possible?" Elijah asks.

"If any one of you three idiots had bothered to listen to me two months ago, we could have avoided all of this," the younger Original grumbles. "Listen, Silas is a very powerful creature. He could find a way."

"Find a way to come back from being a pile of ash?" Klaus says. "Sounds highly unlikely."

"I found a way back!" Kol snaps.

And there's silence on all ends.

"Kol?"

That voice is coming from the phone. The voice that could raise goosebumps on his skin (oh, the good kind of goosebumps) and the voice that could bring him back from the edge.

"What, lamb?"

"You better tell us everything right now before I come over there and hex you into next week."

* * *

**I'm going to end it there. A set up for next chapter that is going to be badass! **

**I have always intended on bringing Matt into this story, mostly because I love him with Rebekah but I also think he deserves his own story. He and Bonnie are the most underused characters on the show and deserve to be given an amazing story of their own. But also, I am trying to slowly set this up for two possible sequels, the next one to be centered around Klaus and Caroline (and maybe Stefan later) and the third to be around Matt and Rebekah. **

**Obviously that's Silas in the beginning, grabbing Matt. Now, I was thinking instead of him being a vampire, when he awoke after Kol and Jeremy fled the cave, he did feed a bit on Shane's body and took in his life force (aka soul). He feeds on souls through the blood and that is how he slowly gains his power back. **

**Uh-oh! That spells trouble. Should have listened to Kol, guys. Seriously. But I do like that our Kol is back. He may be less vampy but he's still Kol. Just wait until he comes face to face with the Golden Trio. **

**Somehow, Matt is a new member of the Five. I think they actually had a great opportunity of doing that on the show, like how Conner had marked Jeremy to take his place. Did Jeremy mark anyone? Matt has hunting capabilities. But no, Jeremy's not dead, someone else is for this to be possible in my story. We'll be learning more next chapter. **

**Check out my fancasting for Silas. I love Charlie Hunnam and I actually think he'd make a great Silas. **


	13. just like old times

_**just like old times**_

* * *

**dedicated to vilis91 who reminded me that we need some of the badass kol back and also for the song recommendation. enjoy! **

**.**

**.**

'don't wanna be rude but i have to  
nothing's good about the hell you put me through  
i just need to look around  
see the life that has come unbound  
and you're so cynical  
narcissistic cannibal  
got to bring myself back from the dead'  
**-'narcissistic cannibal', korn **

**.**

**.**

The boy feels nothing.

There's nothing but darkness all around him.

Pulling him in. Enveloping him in it's sweetness.

It's a place with no pain. No anguish. No loneliness.

A place of escape. A place of a different kind of beauty.

Does this darkness have a name?

And then he's being pulled back. Hands are clasping around his wrists, yanking him back into the painful world of the living.

"_Matt! Matt, can you hear me?!" _

That voice...it was so familiar. A voice that he used to love but not anymore. A voice that had been a part of him for what seemed like so long...

"Elena?"

He hears a scoff and can practically see her roll her eyes.

"Close enough," she sighs. Long arms circle him and he is lifted up like he weighs no more than a sack of potatoes. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

Once he is in her arms, that's when the pain comes rattling back. It's white hot, burning. Like he's on fire. He can't-he just can't-

The wrist comes at his mouth, bloody and smeared. He tries to force it away from him but it's pressed right against his lips and nose, cutting off his airway.

"Drink! Drink!" There's another scoff. "You'll die if you don't."

He curses himself when his need to breathe takes over and he swallows, the coppery burn making it's way down his throat.

He had been fed vampire blood before and he could feel the heat of healing almost instantly. When he had been stabbed by the Martin warlock, when he had been bitten and brutalized by Damon, when he had been fed on by Elena...three different types of blood, all coppery and all fast acting.

But this time he wasn't feeling it. He wasn't feeling that perfection, or the pain ebbing away like it usually did...

The darkness was closing in. Taking him back away to that place with no pain or sadness.

"_Damn it, Matt!" _

The myths all lied. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. No loved ones faces, smiling and welcoming.

He wondered if this is what Vicki saw when she was staked.

Or anybody that had been lost along the way.

"_Matt, hold on!" _

It was too late. There was no point in holding on anymore.

Life pretty much sucked.

Time to go.

* * *

The sleepy eyed sheriff awakes to the sounds of knocking on the front door. She glances at the digital clock on her nightstand, the numbers reading 3:22 AM. Who the hell was that at this hour of the morning?

She rises slowly out of bed, wrapping her robe back around her tightly and making her way down those stairs. She peers at the front door, seeing nothing or nobody through the glass but knowing better by her years of hunting vampires. She grips her pistol lightly, taking a cautious peek through the glass before letting out a scream.

"Caroline!"

Her daughter was at her side in a second, her hands on her mother's shoulders and eyes wide with worry.

"Mom, what is it?"

Liz points a shaky hand at the door, not even able to form the words on her tongue. Caroline gently pushes past her, walking towards the doorway before letting out her own scream.

"_Bonnie, get down here!" _

Within moments, the bloody and not breathing boy is laying on the sofa after a whispered 'come in' in his ear. He is wrapped up like a burrito with blankets, the blood cleaned away from his lips and throat. They can see the half healed knife line on the base of his throat, and they just know.

"He can't be...he just can't be..." Caroline is walking back and forth on the carpet in front of the couch, her arms folded in front of her chest, biting down on her fingernails, babbling quietly to herself. "I just don't understand...he can't be...This can't be right."

"Well, Caroline, it is right," Bonnie snaps, pulling her out of her reverie. She sits beside Matt on the sofa, listening intently for the sounds of the pulse rate that would be starting up again quite soon.

Her phone was clenched tightly in one hand, her finger hovering over the send button. A text was awaiting, a small call for help to a warlock that probably wouldn't be able to do anything. And finally, her finger pushes down.

The Mikaelsons are there within minutes, the only one having an invitation in the house was Klaus. Kol was able to walk right in, not even waiting for an invitation from the elder Forbes woman.

"I am not letting any more of them in," Liz says to her daughter, already aware of the situation with Kol. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Sheriff," Elijah says from the stoop, gently nodding.

Rebekah doesn't answer, trying to push her head this way and that for just a tiny glimpse of Matt.

"Why did you call me here, lamb?" Kol whispers, his eyes coming to rest on the boy that he had attempted to kill less than six months before. He could even see the crooked middle finger that had snapped so cleanly during the handshake.

"Can you do it?" Bonnie asks softly, not even looking up at him. "I don't have enough power. But you do."

Kol shakes his head, looking almost sorry for her and for Matt. "I'm sorry, darling. I can't."

"You can't, or you won't?" Bonnie says, getting to her feet. Her eyes grow hard and her posture is protective around the still boy. She sees the flare of jealousy in the other witch's eyes and chooses to ignore it.

Kol's own expression grows stony and he takes a step towards her. "It is much too dangerous and besides, you would have to pull me back. I don't think that you have enough power to do that."

The younger witch lets out a huff of annoyance before turning her back. Her eyes fall on Matt's form, tracing every feature. The boy who had been her friend for so long, was now becoming something that should never have entered their lives.

She remembers when they were six years old and she was making a Mother's Day card for her Grams. She had just the right amount of glue but not enough glitter. She remembers Matt wordlessly passing her his bottle of glitter and her sprinkling it on top before sharing that soundless look.

The two of them had been close from day one, growing up without parents and really no one to count on. She had her Grams and she was the closest thing she had to a parent for the first seventeen years of her life but Matt had no one. He always trying to keep an eye on a sister that was a constant fuck-up but still loving her unconditionally and then losing her to the night. And now...now he was becoming one himself.

Who the hell turned him? Was it Silas? And who delivered him here?

"He is my friend," Bonnie whispers, finally allowing herself to look back at Kol. "He's my friend."

She knew he could practically read her thoughts. And he knew her choice.

Kol's already at the door, hand resting on the doorknob. "I'm pretty sure I don't care."

With that, he's gone.

* * *

Stupid. Stupidstupidstupidstupid!

How could she be such an idiot? Such a jerk? That wasn't her!

She wasn't the type to be straight forward but then again, everything that she said and everything that she didn't say, it was the total truth.

He didn't need her anymore.

She was choosing Matt. She didn't need to stay with Kol and Kol didn't need her around anymore. He could take care of himself and he and his family could go and fight Silas on their own. She was sitting this one out. None of this mattered anymore except getting Matt through what was too come. She was done.

She was done.

"Bonnie, are you okay?"

Her head shoots up at the sound of her friend's voice, her nerves already softening away.

"No, I'm not," she breathes, leaning into Caroline's gentle touch as her friend places a delicate hand on her shoulder.

Caroline's arms slip around her shoulders, bringing her against her in a light and tender embrace. Once Caroline's arms are around her, Bonnie finds her need to pace, her need to just run right out of here and to never come back, slowly ebbing away.

But she also knows that her friend can't hold her tongue for very long.

"Why are you fighting him so hard?" Caroline asks softly, her eyes obviously avoiding Matt's still silhouette on the sofa. The blankets are pulled up to his chin, wrapped up like a small baby.

"And why are you asking me that question?" Bonnie shoots back, pulling out of Caroline's embrace. She casts one more look in Matt's direction before pushing past her and into the kitchen, a shady and sorrowful memory glazing in front of her eyes. A memory of her making endless amounts of tea and drinking all of it, trying so hard to stay awake and to keep fighting. A time of fighting with her mother, the one she hadn't seen since that horrible night not too long ago.

"Because I care about you. And I see you are miserable. And that you are acting like an idiot and pulling away from Kol when you should be-"

"And why should I be cozying up to Kol when Klaus has been sniffing around you for the past six months?!" Bonnie finds herself snapping, regretting the words as soon as they fly out of her mouth when she sees the hurt flash in her friend's eyes.

Caroline brushes a stray lock of hair out of her eyes, letting out a small sigh of her own. "Those are two very different situations," she replies softly. "And you are so crazy about Kol that you are practically climbing the walls but your stubbornness keeps getting in the way!"

"Did you just stomp your foot?"

The girls looked at each other, both with their eyes wide. Caroline shrugs lightly, "Maybe I did. What's it too you?"

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "I can't, Caroline. I just can't. It doesn't matter if he is a warlock now, he's still an Original. After everything that he's done, I can't- I just can't forgive him for it. And there's Matt. Matt's good. He's pure. He's a great man who, who-"

"-who is not yours."

Everything that is coming out of Caroline's mouth is quite wise, even for somebody like her. Bonnie loves Caroline, she loves her so much.

And it pisses her off when she's right.

It seems to her that Caroline has resigned herself to the fact that they are a part of that family now. She has accepted that she will be forever linked to Klaus and to the others. Even though Bonnie's loyalties do lay with this family, she just can't. She can't give herself over to Kol, she's not weak.

"It's not weakness, Bonnie," Caroline says, practically reading her thoughts. "Caring about him is not a weakness."

* * *

She had chosen the commoner. She had chosen the boy over him.

Why should he care? He's not in love with her.

She's been a confidante, that's all. She's helped him through his transition back into a warlock and that's it.

Damn it all to hell, why?

Why couldn't he had just stayed dead? Why did she have to pull him back from the beyond? Why did she save his horrible life only to push him away in the end?

He continues to walk, no particular destination in mind. It's near five in the morning and the sleepy little town will soon be rising but he doesn't give a damn. He just wants to walk. He wants to escape all of this hell and find an outlet for his anger.

And then the Gilbert house comes into view.

He can see a light on in the upstairs window, sensing some movement. He's surprised that they even dared to come back there, after the fact that his brother was invited in. But maybe, because of the compulsion, they forgot about that. He didn't know.

And he just didn't care.

Time for some fun.

With speed that he had forgotten that he had had, he finds himself on the front doorstep. His hand reaches out and the door clicks open softly, squeaking lightly as it's hinges protest the movement.

"Damon? Damon, is that you?"

The doppelganger's voice hits his ears and he lets out a soft chuckle. His hand continues to reach out and meets no barrier. Something else that he was still getting used too.

He takes a step over the threshold, a full fledged smile crossing his lips. He can hear Elena moving around in the kitchen, the clattering of dishes and the smell of coffee tracing his nostrils. He had almost forgotten how much he did love the smell of fresh coffee.

He continues to walk through the living room, his eyes falling on the spot where he had fallen just two months before, burned beyond recognition.

He can still remember the pain.

The agony.

"Damon, do you want some coffee?!"

Another laugh escapes his lips.

Elena shuffles through the kitchen door, eyes filled with exhaustion and two steaming mugs of coffee in her hands. She's not paying any attention to her surroundings (sorry excuse for a vampire), chattering on quietly to herself and to the vampire that she thinks is waiting in the living room.

"I put a shot of whiskey in it, just like you-"

And the cups shatter on the floor when she sees him.

Fear darts to her eyes, her hands rising up in front of her.

"No, no, no. I killed you. You're not real! You're dead!" she shouts, darting backwards into the kitchen.

He thanks whoever was above that he still had his speed and some of his strength because it's quite easy to catch her. His tall form towers over her, mouth set in a grim line, her back pressed up against the counter. It takes him a moment before he realizes it's the same place where he was stabbed.

"For centuries now," he replies softly, a smirk taking place.

She lets out a pained yell as the first aneurism takes over. Now, this was just a little taster.

"Ahh! How-how are you-alive?!" she chokes out, hands holding onto her temples in a lame attempt to push away the pain.

"It's a long story," he says with a laugh. "Just like old times, eh darling?" This next one was just a little bit harder, pressing directly on her optic nerve. She slowly goes blind, unable to see his face leering just inches from her own. It gets harder and her whole world is black, the pain coming from nowhere and everywhere.

He backs up, letting her slide to the floor into the fetal position. One hand darts out and grabs her, pushing her back up against the counter. Another yell of pain leaves her mouth as bruises form on her arms that almost immediately heal over. Blood trickles from her nose and over her top lip and into her mouth, choking her.

"How does that feel, Elena?" he asks her. "Does it feel nice? Do you like having the life being ripped out of you?" He releases the pressure on her eyes and her sight comes back, his darkened eyes right above her own.

She takes a moment to collect herself, noticing for the first time the blackened veins as they make their way up his throat. On the arm that holds her shoulder, they slide down, twisting around his fingers like a spider's web.

"What-are-you?" she moans, as the next aneurism breaks her sight and pushes her back. Her hands that had been trying desperately to loosen the hold on her throat come up to grip her head one more time. _"What the hell are you?!" _

"I'm a new kind of monster," he sneers.

_You're a killer. _

He ignores the voice sliding through his brain like a mantra, focusing all of his energy on her.

He can't hold it much longer.

Elena's eyes widen in surprise as the grip on her throat slackens and then falls away.

_Murderer. Nothing but dirt under my shoes. _

He tries to ignore the witches' voices but soon, they are roaring away in his head.

Without the risk of exposing himself to her and to her little group of idiots, his hand closes around her neck once again and their eyes meet.

"Forget this and remember nothing," he snarls, seeing the cloudiness take back over in those doe eyes that so many men have fallen for. He shakes his head, knowing that he should just end it, just kill her right then and there but something (or someone) was stopping him.

Sadly, he had lost the power of compulsion when he was turned back. But a new kind of power, an ability to blur memories, came quite handy.

Now to test it out.

"This is all a nightmare. A simple little dream. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Elena parrots back softly. With one mighty heave, he throws her to the floor and steps over her, making sure to trod on her fingers with the heel of his boot as he goes. Her squeal of pain is practically music to his ears.

And then he is outside, walking away smoothly like it had never happened. Like he had never died and brought back to life for the second time, like he hadn't lost everything in the world and been given it all back in just under a couple of days.

_You are still a killer. Worthless, disgusting waste of skin. _

"Shut up!" he snaps aloud, knowing and not caring about the people that can see him. "Fuck you!"

_You tried to kill her...you don't deserve what you have..._

"She killed me! She and her worthless brother killed me!" he shouts. "What the fuck am I supposed to do?!"

"Kol?"

He doesn't hear his brother at first.

And then a large and gentle hand comes down to rest on his shoulder, pulling him back to the real world.

"Kol, look at me."

He could recognize that firm voice anywhere.

"'Lijah?"

His older brother's smile is soft, almost bittersweet. That hand on his shoulder tightens slightly, the fingers pushing into his now sensitive skin.

"Let's go home, Kol," he whispers. "Let's go home."

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?! What on earth would possess you to go after the doppelganger right now?!"

He rolls his eyes, ignoring his brother's voice. It's almost a redo of less than a year ago, but different sibling on the receiving end.

"Niklaus, this really isn't the time," Elijah says from his spot on the stairway.

"She's going to know it was him!" Klaus snaps. He turns violently back towards his younger brother. "You can't compel anymore!"

"She's not going to remember me, Nik," Kol finally says, his own voice surprisingly small and sounding quite young. "I blurred her memories."

"You what?"

He sighs. "It's another thing that I can do. I can't make her do what I want but I can still block out memories. Visions."

"Have you ever done it before?" Elijah asks.

Kol shakes his head. "No. I just knew I could do it."

"And what if it didn't work?" Klaus says.

He gives a lazy shrug of the shoulder. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

Elijah lets out a small huff of breath, stepping down from his perch on the staircase, walking across the Persian rug in less than three strides. "What did Bonnie tell you about the Donovan boy?"

"He wasn't even awake when I was over there," Kol says softly. "I don't think he will complete the transition."

"Who turned him?" Klaus asks. "And who would leave him on Caroline's doorstep?"

"Search me."

Klaus raises a brow at his brother's Americanization, practically rolling his eyes. "I think you have been spending too much time with the Bennett witch."

Another sting of pain goes right through his very alive heart at the sound of her name.

"Alas, brother, I do believe you are right," he agrees, feeling quite numb. More numb than he had felt in nearly a thousand years.

Klaus cocks his head slightly to the side, his cerleaun gaze almost piercing through him.

"The witch, aye?"

"Excuse me?"

And then, for a brief moment, the big brother comes out. The brother that loves him and would do anything to protect him. The brother that can still offer advice and give him a slap upside the head whenever he screwed up.

The brother he had wanted back for so long before getting a dagger to the heart.

That moment, that quiet, still, almost peaceful moment is broken then by the loud shrill ringing of a phone.

He feels his whole body flinch violently as the mood is broken, watching as Klaus pulls his phone out of his pocket and glances at the name.

"It's Caroline," he says, brows raised. He hit's the receive button and it is actually Rebekah's voice that fills the air.

"_Nik? Nik, can you hear me?" _

There is nothing like panic in your little sister's voice to get your hair standing on end.

"Of course, Rebekah. What is it?" Klaus says.

"_Matt made the transition,_" she says, tone edged with pain. _"He, uh, but-" _

"Bekah, spit it out!" Kol finds himself snapping.

"_Nik, just get over here! He's trying to kill Caroline and he's too strong! I can't-Matt, no!" _

"Bekah? Rebekah!"

The line goes dead.

* * *

**Uh-oh. What's up with Matt? **

**I have been fighting with this chapter for nearly a week, trying to figure out how I was going to put it down. Yes, we finally got some badass Kol moments, using his magic on Elena and then also finding out that he can still wipe memories. Well, we already saw Bonnie do that to Shane but it didn't work so well. But he still hears the witches' voices in his head and in the end, they are what stopped him from killing her. **

**Brotherly moments that we were severely lacking. Elijah taking care of Kol and Klaus being the pushy and pain in the ass middle brother that still cares. **

**Who saved Matt? Kind of obvious. Yes, angsty Kennett in this chapter but I guarantee that next chapter will definitely be worth it. I'll give away the name of it too. "He Changes Her Too." Enjoy! **

**Review, review, review! **


	14. he changes her too

_**he changes her too**_

* * *

**(a/n: don't have a song for this chapter but i do recommend you listen to 'tracks of never ending light' by this will destroy you while reading. think you will enjoy.) **

_**.**_

_**.**_

'it's not just that she makes him a better person, and she does  
but he changes her too  
he challenges her, surprises her  
he makes her question her life, her beliefs  
he's either the best thing for her, or the worst'  
**-rose (3x19)**

**.**

**.**

Blood foams at his lips as his fangs elongate for the first time.

They are the longest fangs that Bonnie has ever seen. They slide down into his bottom lips, cutting into the tender skin and more blood spilling. She lets out a yell of surprise as Matt turns around, his eyes on her blonde friend.

Those fangs aren't going away.

His eyes burn black with blood, veins swelling up so much that they look like they could burst.

"Matt? Matt, can you hear me?" Bonnie tries, her voice soft.

He holds up a hand, practically shooing her away. "Yeah, I can hear you, Bonnie," he whispers. "Just...just leave me be."

The same hand is blazing with the Five's tattoo.

It can't be possible. That tattoo would disappear during the transition.

She sends out a burst of magic as the chair leg breaks in one swift motion. Rebekah's furiously yelling into her phone and trying to shepherd a confused Liz Forbes up the stairs at the same time. She can barely make out the words '_Nik'_ and '_help' _as she lets out her own scream when Matt drives the chair leg deep into Caroline's abdomen.

Caroline falls to the floor, blood spurting from her nose and mouth. She continues to cough, trying to pull the makeshift stake out of her belly with no avail.

"Matt, stop!" she shouts, "_Matt!" _

The front door bursts open, flying completely off of it's hinges with a loud bang. A familiar figure runs in, nothing but a blur.

And then her magic doubles, _triples_, joined by another force that is so much stronger.

Matt lets out a howl of agony, his hands clutching at his forehead. He falls almost immediately, lifeless and oh so still.

"Caroline!"

She watches as Klaus pushes past his brother, falling to his knees by the unconscious blonde and pulling her up. He yanks the stake out of her stomach, cradling her gently as she takes his blood.

Bonnie's eyes meet Kol's, silvery emerald on honey brown.

"What the _hell _happened?!"

"I might ask you the same question!" he shoots back. "You were here, I wasn't!"

She rolls her eyes before going down to her knees beside the unconscious newbie vampire, gently rolling him over. Rebekah's at her side in an instant, lifting him up and placing him back onto the couch.

"Why did he try to kill me?" Caroline's voice is so tiny, so weak. And it rips Bonnie's heart right out of her chest. She watches out of the corner of her eye as Klaus lifts her up in his embrace, supporting her gently against his chest as she takes in deep breaths.

* * *

It's nearly another two hours before the brand new vampire wakes up again. And he wakes up in a whole new place.

"Well, you look like hell. Are you going to try to kill me too?"

A pair of stormy grey eyes meet his deep sea ones and he lets out a moan. "What the hell happened to me?" he whispers, sitting up and accepting the glass of water that the Original hands him.

"What do you remember?" Rebekah asks softly.

Matt shrugs a shoulder. "I remember leaving work...and then someone comes up behind me. I don't think I saw his face but he knew-oh, my god."

"What?"

Matt glances down at his hand, eyes wide. The tattoo blazes there, inky and dark, so like his now undead heart.

"What happened to me, Rebekah?" he breathes. "Am I-?"

Rebekah's own eyes are wide with surprise, and dare he say, a bit of fear. "You don't remember? You don't remember anything?"

He shakes his head, sitting up straight. His five senses start kicking up the high gear and it hits him. Like how he can hear the gently falling snow outside, his eyes taking in just how white those crystals are as they cascade from the sky. He rises off of the sofa, heading slowly towards the window, continuing to take in that sight. It practically takes his breath away.

"I'm a vampire," he whispers. "Oh, my god...I'm a vampire."

Rebekah finally lowers herself down onto the sofa, expression gentle. "What do you remember?" she asks again.

Matt's blue orbs are wide and glistening with unshed tears. His mouth slackens and then grips up again in a tightened sob, trying to swallow those soft cries back before they do finally escape.

"I remember taking someone's blood," he breathes. "And she-she kept telling me to hold on, that we were almost there. I thought it was Elena but-but it wasn't. And the blood wasn't working. I felt myself fading like I did when my truck went into the pond." He doesn't see Rebekah's tiny wince. "And then-and then I woke up." A sudden dawning look crosses those beautiful features and his eyes widen. "What did I do? Rebekah, what did I do?"

"You tried to kill Caroline."

His gaze falls on the visible tattoo once again and his stomach drops. "I-I what?"

Rebekah nods softly. "I don't know what it is, what's going on. But you woke up and you immediately transitioned, not questioning it or even actually thinking about it. And then you turned and tried to stake Caroline."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Nik fed her some blood and she healed right up. But Matt-Matt, please don't get up-" Her tiny hands reach out to gently push him back down as he tries to get up. "Matt!"

"No, Rebekah!" Matt suddenly pushes back against those tiny hands. Rebekah loses her grip and finds herself flying across the room, slamming heavily into the opposing wall. She swallows a whimper of pain, feeling her dislocated shoulder healing up in seconds.

And then her eyes take in Matt.

He stands where he was before, arms hanging loosely at his sides. The veins are protruding under his eyes and the fangs have slipped down. Those eyes, black with blood, fade back to their aquamarine and the fangs recede, replaced by another tiny sob.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" he chokes. "What's wrong with me?! Oh, my god, I'm sorry!"

It didn't matter if this was Rebekah and he was still pissed at her for running his truck off of a bridge. It didn't matter if this was an Original vampire that he had just tried to kill. She was still a person and he was still a person. A human being. And he had tried to kill her.

Rebekah gently steps forward, eyes cautious. "It's going to be okay, Matt," she breathes. "We're going to figure this out."

His resolve staggers and he falls. He's falling so far and only one person can catch him.

She does.

He allows himself to break loose, to let that levee rattle free and the emotions come pouring out. Her arms circle his trembling form and he looses himself in that blackness once again.

* * *

It was two days later and it seemed like all was well with Matt. As well as could be expected with being a baby vampire, anyway. He was slowly starting to get control of his cravings, having not touched a drop of fresh human blood, choosing to drink the blood bags that Caroline would slowly steal from the nearby hospital. There was no crazy Alaric-like moments and things were getting back to normal. Well, as normal as things could get in this crazy family.

And then Bonnie found out what Kol had done during that hour he had disappeared after leaving the Forbes house.

A slip of the tongue from Rebekah and Bonnie was chasing him through the long mansion hallways, sending weak blasts of magic in his direction. It finally goes right outside into the crunchy snow covered yard. More room for ammo and less destroyed belongings. At least, that's what Klaus said.

"Why (_bang_) the _hell_ (_blast_) did you go (_bang_) over there?!" she shrieks. "Why couldn't you leave well enough alone?!"

Her loyalty may lay with the Originals right now but Elena was still her friend and always would be.

"She and her jackass brother killed me!" Kol fires back, blocking a surge of magic that heads right for his chest. "And you-"

"And I what?!"

"You rejected him."

Rebekah's voice has a definite tone of 'smirkery' in it. She and Klaus had been trying to referee for the last ten minutes before it got out of hand but for now, it was just enjoyable to watch.

"Oh, shut up Rebekah!" Bonnie snaps, ignoring the pangs of guilt as they work their way to her heart.

Across the yard and seated on the porch are Matt and Caroline, seated together on the swing that Rebekah had demanded that Niklaus install before they had all separated. Matt is wrapped up in a thick blanket that he doesn't need, inching his way away from Caroline like he is going to try to harm her again.

"Why did you guys go with them?"

His voice is so quiet that Caroline almost misses it, even with her vampire hearing. She glances at the new vampire and sighs with a tiny shrug.

"I came along to protect Bonnie," she says. "But she doesn't need my protection."

"And yet, you are still here."

"For her, Matt. And now for you," she responds, fighting the rising heat behind her eyes. "I don't see you going anywhere."

"I could massacre half of the town," he replies grouchily.

"No, you won't," Caroline chuckles sadly. "And you know why? Because it's not who you are. Even as a vampire, you will hold onto your humanity. You are not that kind of person."

Matt's smile is almost bittersweet. And this time, he doesn't flinch when Caroline takes his hand.

His eyes are on the four in the yard once again. He can hear Bonnie shouting, calling Kol some horrible names that he didn't think he had ever heard before. Rebekah and Klaus are still refereeing but honestly, it looks like they are just enjoying the show.

"What does she see in him?" he finally asks as Bonnie fires one last blast of power in Kol's direction.

"_Fight back, you coward!" _

Well, that did it.

Bonnie is lifted up in the air, oh so gently. For a split moment, she looks like an angel, coming down from the heavens.

And then Kol releases her, letting her fall right on her ass in the snow.

Caroline hides a smile once Bonnie is on her feet again, running a hand through her messy curls.

"It's not that she makes him want to be...better, and she does," she whispers, watching the snowball fight finally erupt.

"But he changes her too."

Matt's blue hues watch her face for a moment before letting out a laugh. Bonnie has at least five snowballs levitating in mid air before sending them pelting in Kol's direction. Kol ducks down and poor Rebekah receives them all to the face.

"He makes her fight back more often. Not take anything laying down. He makes her question everything that she has ever believed in," Caroline continues softly. "He pisses her off. He makes her so angry. Before you turned up, I remember hearing some screaming fights between the two of them that would go on into the night before someone knocked someone out with magic. I'm not sure who."

Rebekah is chasing Klaus, an armful of snowballs resting in her coat, throwing one after the other at his head. She only misses once before he manages to tackle her, pinning her to the ground.

And for a moment, they are all kids again.

They're human.

"And he lights a fire in her eyes that I don't remember ever seeing before," Caroline says, her own eyes on Bonnie once again.

Kol takes that split second opportunity to rush the younger witch, plowing her into the snow and practically sitting on her. The witch lets out a yelp of surprise before glaring up into his honeyed orbs.

"_You'll pay for that!" _

He laughs evilly for a moment. "_Oh, will I-_whoa_!" _

Despite being only five feet tall and weighing maybe a hundred pounds, Bonnie is _strong._ With another blast of magic as her aid, she pushes him off of her and then she is the one sitting on him.

"_Little witch, I take back my words," _Kol chuckles.

"_I'm still mad at you," _Bonnie warns but her eyes are gentle.

He smirks. _"I know." _

"I never really believed in soul mates before. But I do now."

* * *

These normal human moments never last.

Matt's memories came back.

They all came back at once.

That was when they learned just how truly dangerous Silas was.

"He feeds on souls. That is how he gets his power back," Bonnie says, allowing the words to roll off her tongue. They practically make her sick.

"That explains why Matt's throat was cut," says Kol. "And the other bodies-"

"Do you understand just how strong he will be soon? He'll be stronger than Klaus," Bonnie says, her eyes coming to rest on the silent hybrid. "Even _you _won't be able to take him down."

Klaus raises a brow. "I'd like to see that."

"Brother, I don't think you do," Kol reprimands lightly. "But what I don't understand is what the hell is he after? The cure has been destroyed. What else could he be after?"

"Wrecking havoc and destruction?" Caroline supplies, ignoring the pointed look from Klaus. "Maybe it's a favorite pastime."

"Witches don't work like that," Bonnie growls.

"Then how the hell do they work?!" Rebekah suddenly bursts out from her perch on the edge of the sofa. "Enlighten me since I was not so blessed."

"Basically, Silas is over two thousand years old, has just been awoken, is hungry and angry. He wants his power back and he will stop at nothing to get it back. He wants to be reunited with his lover."

"What?"

Bonnie leans back in her chair, glancing at Kol with raised eyebrows. "Oh, I'm surprised you don't know this, being the Silas freak that you are." She too ignores the glower that he sends in her direction. "Silas had a lover and when she was killed by Quetsiyah, all he wanted was to be reunited with her. Isn't that correct?"

"That's quite correct, Miss Bennett," Kol replies scathingly. "I'm glad you know your history."

"Well, I try. Now that I've got you breathing down my neck."

"No, but I'd like too-"

"Hello! Can you two save the foreplay for later?!" Caroline's voice is irritated but also half amused. "We've got work to do here!"

Bonnie felt her cheeks flush red, shooting a glare in Kol's direction before turning her attention back to the discussion at hand. Throughout the rest of the time there, she could feel Kol's burning gaze on the back of her neck.

* * *

"So I gather you feel it too?"

Despite being human-ish again, he can still move silently. So silently that he startles her out of her wits and she nearly drops the glass of water in her hand.

"Damn it, Kol!" Bonnie snaps, glaring at him. "Please walk heavier or something."

Kol rolls his eyes, chuckling quietly. "Please, Bonnie. You should be used to it by now."

"Used to what?" she asks, setting the glass down on the counter. "There's nothing here."

That's when his arms circle her from behind, his breath hot on her neck. "Oh, really?" he murmurs. "Do you feel nothing?"

"N-no." Liar. Bonnie Bennett, you are a _liar. _

His large hand starts to slide down her abdomen, resting on her ribcage. "So, this doesn't bother you at all?"

Her voice comes out in a stammer. "N-no, it d-doesn't."

And then her wits get about her and she manages to push his hands away from her. Of course, he's still too quick for her and his fingers tangle with hers, twisting her around so she almost does a face plant into his chest. And she doesn't even have a chance to protest when his mouth closes over hers.

Bonnie lets out a tiny moan that his mouth captures, her arms hanging loose at her sides. She feels his teeth scrape against her bottom lip, capturing another moan that escapes.

_I should be slapping him right now. Why the hell am I not trying to punch him out? _

Her mind screams at her to stop this, to push Kol away.

But she doesn't.

She doesn't do a thing to stop it.

* * *

**THEY. FINALLY. KISSED. **

**It's about damn time, Kennett! **

**Yes, so Matt's still a hunter. The mark didn't disappear after his transition. Yipes, still a problem. **

**I do hope you liked the Maroline friendship with the tiny dabs of Mabekah and Klaroline, along with the delicious Kennett. Actually, I have no idea where Elijah is at this moment. Maybe looking for Katherine? **

**Reviews, please. Yes, I am demanding them! **

**Much love, guys. I hope you have a safe weekend and see you next week with a fresh new update! **


	15. katherine

_**katherine**_

* * *

.

.

'holy water cannot help you now  
see i've come to burn your kingdom down  
and no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out  
i'm gonna raise the stakes  
i'm gonna smoke you out  
seven devils all around you  
seven devils in your house  
see they were there before you woke up this morning  
and you'll be dead before the day is done'  
**-'seven devils', florence and the machine**

.

.

Her moan becomes choked as she finds herself returning the kiss even more vigorously. She finally allows him entrance and their tongues battle for dominance. He bites down on her bottom lip, sucking and soothing away the angry nip, tasting his first drops of human blood in what seems like forever.

_I really should be stopping this_.

_But you're not_, another voice answers.

_Oh, what the hell. _

Bonnie's hand fists on the front of his shirt and she whirls him around, shoving him back first into the kitchen counter. The glass of water that sat there dumps over but neither pay any attention as she takes control. His eyes widen in surprise and then turn to such a hard pleasure that makes her almost chicken out right then and there.

Her mouth covers his again, moving over each other's in haste to just feel. To feel every single little crevice of perfection that was in each other. She feels his hand begin to slide up her back, taking her shirt with it. His hand, so large and so cool, sends electric currents up her skin, causing her to shiver ever so slightly.

And just as his hands start to work her shirt over her head, his lips begin to work a trail down her chin and over her throat. His mouth ghosts over her neck before finding her pulse point and sucking hard. Another moan leaves her mouth.

"_Bonnie! Bonnie!" _

She tries to ignore the voice, intense pleasure shooting up her spine as Kol's fingers work a pattern up her back.

"Bonnie!"

And Caroline charges into the kitchen.

She falls back against his hands, her own hands trying to work her shirt back down to cover herself.

"Damn it, Caroline!" Kol curses, running his now free hands through his mussed coppery tresses.

Caroline freezes for a second, her eyes wide with alarm. She hurriedly hides a small smile that forms, gesturing back through the swinging kitchen door.

"Elijah's back. He found Katherine."

* * *

She feels the heated flush run up her cheeks as she dashes out of the kitchen, leaving behind a severely agitated Kol. Caroline follows her close behind, a knowing smirk on her lips.

"Bonnie-"

"Don't even say it, Caroline!" Bonnie snaps, keeping her back to her friend as she walks through the long hallway that leads to the stairwell to the basement.

"Oh, Bonnie. Don't deny it. If I hadn't have walked in, you totally would have gotten it on with Kol!" Caroline chuckles. "Congratulations, you got to second base!"

"Shut up," Bonnie snaps again, trying furiously and failing miserably to hide her own smile.

They get down to the basement with Kol arriving there seconds later. His eyes burn holes in her back before he gently pushes past them to join his brothers at the doorway.

"Where did you find her?" he asks Elijah, who's eyes aren't moving from the closed door.

"She was easy to find," Elijah answers. "Right outside Mystic Falls. Actually, near where we were staying before we came back home."

Kol peers through the heavy bars that block the doorway, eyes finding the vervained vampire. All he sees is a heavy amount of dark curls and a dirty clothed body that looks a little beat up but in relatively one piece. She lays on the floor, covered by a blanket that is pulled up to her chin, hair covering her face.

"Do you think she knows something?" Caroline asks, slipping over to stand by Klaus.

"She's got to know something. She didn't let Matt die when she has no reason to need him alive," comes a new voice. They look up to the top of the rickety stairs to see Rebekah standing there, Matt beside her.

"I've already tried talking to her," Elijah says. "She wouldn't say a word. She finally started to fight me and that's when I had to vervain her."

"I can get her to talk."

All eyes fall on Kol.

Elijah shakes his head. "No, no, no. Don't even think about it, Kol."

"Why not? It works. No offense to Bonnie, but I think I have a bit more control over the kind of pain I can inflict."

"You could also kill her," Bonnie cuts in. "And we need her alive."

"I am not going to kill her!" Kol snaps. "I didn't kill Elena!"

"But you would have if the witches hadn't interfered, correct?"

That's when all eyes go on Bonnie.

She doesn't even wither under the several glares, expression firm.

"How the hell did you know about that?" Kol asks, voice frighteningly calm.

"It's not hard to figure out. And why wouldn't you have killed her anyway?" Bonnie says.

The Original has no answer for that.

"Enough," Klaus says finally. "All this talk is boring me. Kol, go ahead. Do what you will. Elijah, you stay out here."

"He will kill her!" Elijah protests, his normally calm exterior full of fright.

"Fine! Then the little witch can go in with him. I know he can control himself in her presence."

Klaus ignores the glowering look from his younger brother as he steps back, allowing him access to the cell-like structure. Bonnie follows him, sending her own glare in Klaus's direction, added with a tiny twinge of pain. Complete satisfaction rings through when she sees him wince.

* * *

It really was a prison cell, almost like the Salvatore's little hidden room in their home. But this one, it holds that air of evil, that almost satanic residue to it that's particularly frightening.

Katherine continues to lay in a huddle in the corner, her breathing hitched and almost a stammer. Bonnie can tell that she's awake.

Kol steps over to her, lightly pushing on her shoe with his boot.

"Get up, Katerina."

When Katherine makes no move, that's when he kicks her shoe.

"Get up!"

Despite being vervained out of her mind, the nearly six hundred year old vampire can _move._ And suddenly, she is up, on her feet, and on the other side of the cell.

"Hello, Kol," Katherine murmurs. "So nice to see you again."

Kol gives her a smirk. "Wish I could say the same, Kathy." He sees the flash of annoyance at the nickname and his smirk grows. "Oh, you never liked me calling you that, did you? _Kathy. _I guess it's a little better than what your professor friend called you._" _

Bonnie winces, instantly regretting telling him that little tidbit of information.

Katherine does the same. "I had my reasons for helping Shane," she says softly. "Unlike you who rode his body for two weeks. Learning tricks from your brother, huh?"

"That's none of you damn business, Katherine," Kol snarls. If he still had fangs, they'd be out by now.

"I don't think it really matters what's my business or not when I can smell that little witch all over you," Katherine shoots back. "Hello Bonnie. I can see you are Team Original now."

"It's not important," Bonnie replies softly. "All you have to do is cooperate and then you can go."

"Cooperate?" Katherine repeats.

"Like telling us why you turned Matt instead of leaving him to die."

"I didn't intend on _turning _him," Katherine says. "I just gave him blood and then he still died on me. So I guess that's it, huh? He was the last of your little human buddies and now he's a vamp. Let me count that out. Bonnie's a witch, my idiotic little doppelganger's a vamp, her brother's a hunter-" The rest of her words are drowned out in a loud shriek as the first aneurism hits her.

Bonnie watches with wide eyes as Katherine doubles over, hands clutching her forehead. A thin trickle of blood slips down from her nose, ghosting over her top lip and into her teeth.

"Kol, I think that's enough," Bonnie says softly.

Luckily, he does hear her and relieves the pressure on Katherine's brain. She recovers quickly and sits up, a low chuckle escaping her mouth.

"Is that all you've got, oh great Original?"

"How did you know?!" Kol snaps.

"Oh, please. It's kind of obvious," the vampire snorts. "Besides, why else would the little witch be here?"

Kol takes another step forward and she lets out a howl of agony.

"We know you have been tracking Silas. Where is he?!" he demands as he doubles the pressure, feeling it slide over to her optic nerve.

Katherine's world goes black. The loss of her sight was something she was not expecting and it could get her to talk.

But she wasn't stupid.

"What's it too you?" she manages to choke out. "What does it matter anymore?!"

"It'll matter when Silas kills us all!" he snaps back. He increases the pain. "Talk!"

Bonnie sees more blood spill from Katherine's nose and a thin trickle of it at the corner of her mouth. Any more and she was dead.

"Kol, I think that's enough," Bonnie says quietly.

He either ignores her or doesn't hear her; she's not sure about that.

"All right!" Katherine moans. "Give me my sight back and I'll talk!"

"_Kol!" _

And the aneurism snaps back, leaving behind a dull ache in its wake.

Katherine slowly sits up, blinking heavily in the dimness. She runs an exhausted hand over her brow before rising to her feet.

"I'm sure you already know this but he gains his power by taking souls. But his power is not good, it's tainted. It explains why Matt still has his soul, or at least, _did_."

"We already know how he is getting his power, Katherine," Bonnie cuts in, throwing an arm across Kol's chest. "What we don't know is where he is, what he has planned. Why does he want to remain alive after being desiccated for two thousand years?!"

"I don't know, all right?!" Katherine finally bursts out. "I don't know why he's doing what he's doing. I don't know what he wants from all of this. But I do know that he's not far. And that you can't find him. Silas will find you."

Those four little words hung in the air like daggers to the heart.

This was nothing like the fear of Klaus coming for Elena and threatening to kill them all. This was nothing like the fear of Esther wiping out all the vampires on the face of the Earth.

This was even worse.

Kol's eyes search the original doppelganger's haggard features. He can see something else, something that's hidden behind those innocent doe eyes.

"You're not telling us everything," he says.

And for a split second, it's not Katherine lying in a heap on the floor in front of him. It's a different doppelganger with a different mission. A mission to kill him and to end the world in a search for a cure.

The next aneurism that hits is more brutal than any one that Bonnie has ever seen him muster. Katherine is back on the floor, a wail of agony ripping from her lips. More blood begins to trickle from her mouth and nose and even her ears.

"Tell the truth!" Kol shouts.

That's when Bonnie sees the veins starting to creep up his neck.

"_Kol!" _

He ignores her. "Tell the truth, Katherine!"

All that comes out of Katherine's mouth is another shout of pain before her eyes begin to roll back into her head.

The veins are like a spidery web of blackness, slipping up Kol's throat and crossing his chin and cheeks. She sees them creeping down his arms and spading across his hands right to his fingertips.

And that's when she knows.

"_Kol! Kol, that's not Elena!" _

Her own blast of Power passes through her hands, hitting Kol full on in the chest. It knocks him backward and sends him flying into the opposing stone wall with a sickening crunch.

He's on his feet in a second, sending his own reverse of Power back that Bonnie manages to block at the last second. His eyes are nearly black with rage and the veins are burning a fiery red.

"She's not Elena!" Bonnie repeats, her body crouched in a protective stance in front of Katherine. She may not be Bonnie's cup of tea but this is Kol. And she is not going to let him brutally murder her.

The veins disappear slowly, crawling back up his arms and disappearing underneath his sleeves like they never existed.

It's so silent that they can't even hear each other's breathing.

"There's a witch in New Orleans that may be able to help you."

That comes from Katherine.

The witches turn to glance at her incapacitated form. She is slowly pulling herself to her feet, wiping away the blood that cakes her lips and chin.

"Her name is Tamara. I don't know her last name. But I think she is direct descendant of Silas."

* * *

She finds him holed up in his room, furiously shoving clothes into a duffel bag.

"Do you want to tell why the hell you did that?" she asks quietly, arms folded across her chest.

"You mean, why did I try to kill the bitch?" Kol replies, his voice full of loathing.

"She wears the same face as Elena," Bonnie says. "But she's not Elena."

"I'm very well aware of that, lamb," Kol snaps, zipping up his duffel bag with such violence. He's in front of her so quickly that it causes Bonnie to stagger back in surprise. "Why does it matter to you? You hate Katherine."

"But I don't hate you."

The words flew out of her mouth much faster than she could control them.

And suddenly, she finds herself pressed up against the wall, his mouth moving a hot trail down her neck. She doesn't try to fight it because hell, _she wants it._ She wants it as bad as he does and tonight, she's going to let go. She's going to let it all go and deal with the bullshit tomorrow. Deal with the fact that she had to touch into her dark magic to stop Kol from killing, the fact that Kol is very close to snapping, that they have to go back to New Orleans and track down a witch that could be related to Silas!

Damn it, why the hell couldn't she just be a snotty little high school cheerleader who's biggest problems and worries would be if the stupid stick would turn blue or what the hell to wear to prom?

But _noooo_, she's a witch who dabbles in black magic who is currently being jumped upon (not that she doesn't like it) by a former Original vampire, turned Original warlock who's still pretty damn vampy.

Yeah, she, Bonnie Bennett, is still pretty fucked up.

Maybe she's starting to like it.

Kol continues to trail kisses down her throat, his mouth so hot it's almost burning. And then…

"_Hey Kol!" _

Said Kol lets out a grimace of annoyance. Bonnie feels her body sag against the railing of the wall and nearly sinks to the floor, her high of ecstasy fading fast. Kol catches her and lifts her up just as Klaus walks into the room.

"Kol-"

"Brother, you do have magnificent timing. Could you not figure out that I am a little busy?"

Bonnie lets out a small moan, shoving the younger Original away from her. She ignores Klaus's knowing smirk as she pushes past him.

"Seriously? Forty nine rooms in this house and absolutely no privacy."

She can hear Kol's footsteps behind her.

"Bonnie! Hey, Bonnie!"

She hit's the door to her shared bedroom with Caroline and practically flies through. Luckily Caroline isn't there, probably off somewhere hunting bunnies with Matt. Kol's right on her heels and catches the door before it slams right into his face.

"Bonnie, listen-!"

"Kol, I'm not doing this right now," she says, whirling around on her heel. "I can't."

The older warlock blinks for a moment. "Why?"

She lets out her own sigh, pulling a Caroline and throwing her arms up in the air in frustration. "Sleeping with you is a bad idea. I mean-I want too and if Klaus hadn't walked in, I would have. But right now, getting involved, and taking whatever bizarre thing we have further-it is a bad idea. It's a rotten idea."

She tries to ignore the flash of hurt in his eyes before his expression grows hard. "Is it the Original title?" he replies softly. "Because I kind of thought that you were okay with that." "Kol, it isn't that," Bonnie says, feeling guilt starting to fill her belly. "It's the farthest thing from that. It's timing, it's-" Even as the words fall from her mouth, she knows how stupid they are.

With a repeat of the previous ten minutes, he's in front of her faster than a human eye can follow. Damn vampy powers.

He's so close to her that she can feel his hot breath on her forehead. Damn, he really is _tall_. Or maybe she's short, she doesn't know. Something else that she was always different in in her life.

And then his breath is on her neck and for a split second, they are back on that mountain side, trying to stop the rising of an all powerful creature that still rose.

"I want you to remember that you felt something for me," he breathes. "If you didn't, you never would have let me touch you."

Bonnie feels her throat start to close up, heat burning behind her eyes.

Seriously, she has to cry _now_? Now of all times?

She feels so much for this man and she hates it. She hates every bit of it.

"And I feel something for you Bonnie Maria Bennett." _Oh my god, he knows my middle name! _"Maybe its love, I'm not sure. But I think I fell for you the moment you broke every bone in my hand."

Ah yes, that would be a memory she would always treasure.

"You're probably right," he says, his lips a millimeter away from her ear. "Maybe now's not the time. But the time will come."

And he's gone.

Her knees finally give out on her and she sinks down onto the bed, trying to catch the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

* * *

"You all right?"

Bonnie looks up into the warm silvery eyes of her friend and smiles, shaking her head. "I'm the farthest from being all right," she says. "Life pretty much sucks right now."

Caroline's tone is one of pity but right now, Bonnie just doesn't give a flying fuck.

"You're going to get through this, Bonnie," Caroline murmurs, sitting down on the bed next to her. "You will."

Bonnie swipes at a lone tear that has made its way down her cheek. It's joined by another that Caroline gently thumbs away.

"It's just that-I've never had anyone want me before," she breathes. "And the only guy that I have ever had feelings for cheated on me with a ghost. How-how do I handle this?"

Caroline gives her a small smile. "I think you just-you just handle it," she says. "I hate to say it like this but you go with the flow. And if you aren't ready, you aren't ready. But Bonnie, you are going to have to stop denying that you feel things for Kol. There's a bond between the two of you that is unbreakable and honestly, I think he would die for you."

A whine escapes her lips as she shakes her head. "No, don't say that!"

Caroline laughs sweetly, so much love in her heart for this beauty. It honestly amazed her how little Bonnie thought of herself because she was the strongest and most confident person that Caroline had ever known. She knew Bonnie had never been in real love before because she was never this scared. Never this terrified.

Oh, but yes. This was the real thing.

"Do you remember what we promised each other when we were ten years old?" Caroline suddenly asks.

Bonnie smiles smally. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

With a dramatic roll of her eyes, Caroline plows on. "We promised each other that we would always be there for each other, whatever it took. Whether it was about a guy or school or whatever, we would always be there. And this is me, being there. So just take it easy, Bonnie. If you want to jump Kol's bones, go ahead and do it- ("Caroline!") no, just listen for a minute. It's normal for you to want to, next to Klaus, he's probably the hottest Original I've seen, and oh, god I just called Klaus 'hot', stake me now-"

"Caroline!" Bonnie tries again, grabbing her friend's arm. "I get it, ok?"

Caroline looked stricken for a half of a second. "I'm sorry, Bonnie. I get on these stupid rolls and then I can't shut up!"

For the first time in what seems like days, Bonnie lets out a laugh. "You're right about that!" But her expression softens and she smiles. "Thank you, Caroline." With that, she wraps her arms around her taller friend in a tight hug. "Thanks for being my friend."

Caroline laughs, returning the hug. "No problem, sweetie."

* * *

"Well, ladies. It looks like we are going back to high school."

Caroline leans forward in the seat, eyes blazing. "Excuse me?"

Klaus glances at her in the rear view mirror, his cerulean eyes so blue that they shine like jewels. "We found this Tamara that Katherine mentioned. There is only one Tamara in the whole town and her last name is Brown and she is a seventeen year old high school student."

"This witch is a high school student?" Bonnie repeats, ignoring Kol's gaze on her.

"It seems that way, love," Klaus replies.

They are in Klaus's black SUV, heading back out of town. Elijah had stayed behind to keep an eye on Katherine and Matt and Rebekah were also staying behind to watch over the town. Matt had all but accepted that he was part of this whole 'stop Silas' plan and was just going with the flow. It broke Bonnie's heart to realize that her friend had all but given up on life but honestly, he was still fighting. He was fighting for them all.

That was everything to them. Never stop fighting.

Caroline's words remained in Bonnie's head, her words of gentleness but also slight encouragement. She knew deep down that her friend was right; she just wasn't ready to accept that yet.

Someday soon, she would.

* * *

After pulling away from that stupid sire bond, Elena Gilbert was now able to feed on animals when she pleased. After tasting animal blood, she realized that she had a taste for it, but it still wasn't as good as human blood.

She hunted alone. She preferred it because hunting with Stefan reminded her too much of Caroline and being around Damon oddly reminded her of Bonnie. Both of her missing friends were closely linked with those two and now, it was becoming too much with Matt disappearing.

She missed them all and hoped that somehow, God would return them to her.

But why would God listen to her? He had taken almost her whole family and now all of her friends. He had taken her friends and wasn't going to return them to her now.

She was an abomination.

Sometimes, she wondered if she should have just died in transition.

The sound of a car pulls her out of her thoughts.

Elena turns quickly, darting behind a tree and taking it's height like a cat. She glances to her side and sees a black SUV through the thin pine trucks, slowly trailing along the back road running alongside the wood.

Hmm, that's odd. Hardly anyone ever took this road. Especially during this time of the day.

Her vision pealed closer and that's when she sees the back passenger window start to roll down. She peers harder through the bramble and brush and can make out a face. A familiar, caramel skinned face with dancing green eyes. There's a flash of blonde hair coming from behind the girl and an even more familiar joyful laugh.

_Oh, my god...it couldn't be. _

It all comes crashing back.

The mountain side battle.

Facing Caroline, trying to get into the tomb.

Feeling Caroline's hands around her throat before her whole world goes black.

Klaus's eyes peering into hers, telling her that she is not going to remember a single moment of the last month and was going to go home and forget the race for the cure.

Another Original, who wasn't really an Original anymore, giving her aneurism after aneurism before her world went dark once again.

She remembered all of it.

* * *

**I know compulsion doesn't exactly work this way but I thought about it and thought, what if Bonnie and Caroline were the links to that compulsion? If Elena forgets about what exactly happened to Caroline and Bonnie but finds the need to not look for them, what would she be doing? She would be just living as a vampire with the brothers fighting over her. And with Klaus compelling her to forget everything on the mountainside and Kol blurring her memories after torturing her, it would take seeing her friends to make her remember everything. **

**Elena remembering is going to be a BIG problem. But no worries for a few chapters. I had to introduce her into the fold now because when she makes her reemergence into the story, you're either going to love it or hate it. **

**Anyone a fan of Glee? I warn ya, not next chapter, but the two chapters after that are going to be FLUFFY. Oh, god, you're going to need a barf bag when you read them. And yes, they'll be shades of Glee. I love Candice Accola's voice so much and Kat Graham is such an amazing dancer, I was thinking about some goofy things to do there when they 'go back' to high school. Anyone like the idea of Teacher Klaus? ;D**

**Katherine's coming back later but not for a little while. I needed to bring her in now to really clear up why she worked with Shane in the first place. But she's fine and yes, she owes Bonnie her life. And I'll just say it now, there will be Katherine/Elijah later on. **

**I loved the Originals pilot so much that I just have to bring in some characters. Yes, I even liked the pregnancy storyline and I think they can do some gold there as long as it doesn't turn into Twilight. *shivers***

**Kennett...they just break my heart. Bonnie is still having such a hard time letting Kol in but she's trying. And what's up with Kol? It seems like he was ready to snap when interrogating Katherine. Shades of Mother Dearest maybe? Or just the same old sadistic Kol? Let's face it, even though Bonnie can whoop his ass, he'll always be Kol. I do hope you liked the smutty parts, sorry if they're not written very well. I've never been good at writing smut. And stupid Caroline and Klaus, walking in on them both times! **

**Baroline...they break my heart too! Them and Klefan are the best friendships on the show! Gotta focus on the Fab Four for a while but who's to say Elijah, Rebekah, and Matt might follow them to New Orleans? Hmm? Any takers? **

**Seriously, you guys are the best readers in the world. Reviews are much appreciated, as you well know. Thank you all so much and keep being amazing! Have a great and safe weekend. **


	16. let's give 'em hell

_**let's give 'em hell**_

* * *

**This chapter is dedicated to my gal MidnightRain6593. **

_**.**_

_**.**_

'sing it for the boys  
sing it for the girls  
every time that you lose, sing it for the world  
sing it from the heart, sing until you're nuts  
sing it out for the ones that will hit your guts  
sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind  
sing about everyone that you left behind  
sing it for the world, sing it for the world'  
**-'sing', my chemical romance**

**.**

**.**

And so it begins.

The drive lasted about a day, some spent in awkward silence, the other half made up by Caroline chattering away and Klaus regaling her with tales of their family's time in New Orleans back in 1902. They had spent nearly four years there before Kol was daggered and they split up. It did seem though that Kol had gotten over it and he began participating in the conversation himself.

Bonnie found herself glancing at Caroline several times during the drive. Klaus continued to prattle on and on about the parties and the music and even Mardi Gras which was the high light. Caroline's grey eyes would light up like the stars above and she would lost in the sound of his voice.

From then on, Bonnie knew that her friend was royally screwed. But maybe in a good way...

As long as she was happy and that Klaus made her happy. It would take her a while to get used to it but hey, she had to no right to throw stones. Especially not with her freaky relationship with Kol. It didn't help that she had nearly gone to bed with him twice.

As they drove along, Bonnie would find those honeyed eyes on her from time to time. And she was afraid to meet those eyes, because she wouldn't be able to look away.

* * *

They arrive in New Orleans around two in the afternoon. The skies are already darkening but the streets are lit with candles and golden twinkle lights. It really is a breathtaking sight.

"Let's find a hotel," Klaus says, pulling the car down a back road.

"Why?" Kol asks, eyebrows raised.

"We can't go back to our home. We have no idea who could be there," Klaus explains lightly. "A hotel will work for now and then we can go to one of my safehouses. It will be safer."

Bonnie didn't have to be a genius to figure that one out.

Vampires were in this town.

Kol doesn't argue and they continue on, finding a small hotel and renting out two rooms. Bonnie wasn't about to let Caroline out of her sight, her blonde friend always finding some way to get into trouble, even when protected by an Original, an Original warlock, and a witch.

After about thirty minutes, the young vampire was climbing the walls.

"When we were here last, we weren't in this town. But now we are and I want to go exploring!"

Bonnie lets out a laugh. "You sound like a four year old not allowed in a club house."

"Well, I can't help it!" Caroline says, plopping down on the twin bed and crossing her arms with a pout. "I want to see this town! Nik hasn't shut up about it for the last two days and he and freaking Kol went off and disappeared."

"They're probably looking for the witch-did you just call Klaus 'Nik'?"

Caroline stares at her like she has grown another head before the dawning recognition sets in.

"Oh, my god...I did. What the-? Oh, my god, what's wrong with me?!" In a basic Caroline moment, the girl lets out a shriek and a dramatic hand to the forehead.

Bonnie rolls her eyes before gently punching her in the arm. "Face it, you've got it bad for the hybrid."

"Well, we have been spending a lot of time together. And so have you and Kol!"

"Caroline, if you start that again, I will give you an aneurism that you will still feel in a hundred years!"

"Okay, okay, okay. I'm shutting up."

The darker skinned girl chuckles softly. Her eyes travel to the large bay window where the lights of the city are shining through. She was tempted to go out exploring, just like Caroline. When they had been here last, it had been such a short trip and it wasn't even in the city. They had all been so desperate to just help Kol and to cease the fear that he might accidentally blast someone to death that seeing the sights wasn't even on their list of things to do.

But now, they could take a little break, albeit how short it really was going to be.

"All right, let's go," Bonnie says, turning to face her friend. "Put on something comfortable but hot and let's hit the town."

Caroline's beaming smile was enough.

* * *

After a hurried note and texts to the boys, they were on the street. Someone was sending fireworks into the air. Lights lit up the sky, so many majestic colors.

It was glorious.

Bonnie glanced down at her attire, second guessing why the hell she wore this in the first place. She was in a deep ivory sundress, toga sandels on her feet. The sundress had a lower cut to it than most of her clothes and she was actually pretty sure that if Kol saw her in it, his eyes would pop right out of his head. A comfortable blue jacket was draped over her shoulders, keeping off the nip in the air. Despite being in Louisiana it was still late February and it was quite chilly.

Caroline went all out, even curled her freakin' hair! She wore black leggings, black decker boots, a short denim skirt and an oversized purple shirt with her favorite white jacket over top of it.

They were two glorious beauties, out to kick some ass and have some fun.

Or at least, that's what came out Caroline's mouth when they saw each other.

"Let's go to a club." "Caroline! We can't go to a club!"

"Why not?"

"Well, because-"

Caroline scoffs before grabbing her arm. "The boys aren't going to be back for hours, you know that. And you like clubs!"

"Yeah, I do but-"

But her protests fall on deaf ears as she is dragged along to a hidden club down at the end of the street. She had spotted that one on the way in, noting the name.

_Marcel's. _

Hmm, had to be the owner.

It was a nice club. Almost like whoever designed it had taken the street and pulled it inside. Twinkle lights all over the place, a tiny stage with just enough room for the four singers that were up there, and bodies that were packed in like sardines.

The heavy beat of music comes to an end and the stage clears, lighting up the way for a man.

This man was _fine. _

"Wow, he's hot," Caroline murmurs, eyeing the man herself.

Hell yeah, he was.

He stands at six feet with dark ebony skin, strong build. His teeth are pearl white, almost shining in the dimness with a very familiar smirk. Chiseled features to a point where he looked like a perfect statue that was walking around.

Had to be Marcel.

"All right, all right, all right! That was fantastic! Who's next?!"

Damn, it must be Karaoke night.

Seriously, Caroline had to drag her here off all places?

"I don't know!" Caroline calls. "Depends on what the music is!"

"Caroline!" Bonnie barks, grabbing onto her friend's arm.

"Well, well, well, aren't you a little spitfire?" Marcel muses with an amused smirk. "Caroline, I gather?"

Damn.

Caroline gives a defiant little shrug. "I guess so."

Marcel holds out a hand. "Come on up here, little one."

Caroline smiles, casting an assuring look over her shoulder at Bonnie before striding up to the stage. Three more people join her, two male and one female and the song 'Light Up the World' starts to blast out over the speakers.

For a moment there, Bonnie allows herself to relax. She has always loved her friend's voice and for just a split second, she can enjoy it.

But there's something in the air that she can't shake. A certain electricity that is almost intoxicating.

Her eyes travel to her companions that are bouncing around to the music. One jostles her by accident.

And then she gets it.

This club is full of vampires.

"Shit."

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees movement that has nothing to do with the bumping and hopping. Marcel is moving towards the door, about six or seven cronies behind him.

And of course, she follows.

* * *

The group leads her outside to where an even larger crowd is gathering. It seems like a few of these cronies are carrying torches. Seriously? Did she just walk into a really bad mythical horror movie or was she tripping out?

And then she sees a woman being dragged through, wrists bond tightly with white cord and dirt and grime caking her face.

Bonnie can feel her power from here.

Marcel walks through the crowd, parting it like the Red Sea and he is Moses. A familiar cocky-ass smirk graces his handsome features and Bonnie feels a surge of disgust. It's almost like she knows what's going to happen before it does.

"Jane-Anne, it's so nice to see you again!" Marcel trills. "Everyone give it up for Jane-Anne!"

This crowd begins to applaud like they're at a concert or some football game. Poor Jane-Anne, whoever she is, looks around, fear clouding her dark eyes. Even from where Bonnie is standing, she can see her trembling.

Marcel turns on his heel almost gracefully, eyes hardening. "Now, you lovely little thing, I will give you one chance and one chance only. You can tell me what you were doing last night before I happened to walk in?"

Jane-Anne just gives him a cold stare, not even flinching when he flashes to right in front of her. The fear that was there a moment ago was replaced with disgust and an absolute hate that Bonnie remembers feeling herself for so long. Oddly enough, that hate was now replaced by whatever the hell is was that she was feeling now.

"Go back to Hell, Marcel," she spits. With a mighty shove, she pushes him away from her. He staggers backward for a moment before regaining his footing. That smirk retraces his mouth one last time.

"I've already been there, baby," he smiles. "But as you wish."

There is a flash of light and Bonnie's scream dies in her throat.

Jane-Anne lies dead on the pavement, blood pooling underneath her from the gash in her throat. Her eyes are open, wide and blank, never to see the cruel world again.

Bonnie reacts faster than she intends. Looking back on it later, she swears she didn't mean to do it.

But she felt it. The exact moment that Marcel cut Jane-Anne's throat, she felt the flash of death. She could feel the life draining out of the poor girl and her own heart staggered to a stop for just a moment.

She creeps along behind the chortling crowd. Marcel walks proudly in a circle like some goddamn rooster that had just gotten laid and it infuriates her.

A witch has died.

And she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

_I will protect my own. _

Jane-Anne was one of her own. Her kind.

The first vampire that falls dead goes almost unnoticed.

Almost.

And then more fall, invisible stakes slashing through their hearts as the blood begins to pool down. Sometimes, she wonders if it falls from the sky or maybe her own blackened heart.

This kind of magic was Black and she loves it. And hates it.

Marcel is confused, obviously. His vampires-his family is dying and there isn't a damn thing he can do about it.

It's hard to miss the magic. The Blackness that is flowing through the air, crackling like electricity.

The one vampire to Marcel's right figures it out and lunges at her. He falls too, but not by her own hand.

There is a flash of blonde hair and Caroline stands beside her, holding his dripping heart in her hand.

"Bonnie, what the _hell_!"

"Bonnie?" Marcel repeats, holding up a hand to stall the one remaining vampire that hasn't fled yet. "As in Bennett?"

And then he laughs.

The son of a bitch that has just murdered a beautiful witch in cold blood is fucking laughing at her!

"_Bonnie!" _

Caroline's voice is so far away.

That lash of power brings Marcel to his knees. He recovers quickly.

"Klaus can be the only reason why you are here," he spits, that humorous glint in his eyes forever gone. "You are his personal witch."

Oh, hell no. Bonnie Bennett belongs to absolutely no one. Only to herself.

"That's what you think," Bonnie says coldly. Her fingers twist and the bones begin to crack in Marcel's right hand. He lets out a howl of agony and his eyes roll back in his head.

And for a moment, she is back in that hallway, pushed up against the lockers with Kol's hand around her throat. His fangs are out and so long and so sharp, his words scathing as he threatens her life. Moments later he is on his knees, all the bones broken in his right hand, one knee totally busted to hell, as he wails in agony.

The same knife that had just killed Jane-Anne is in her hand somehow.

With strength that she doesn't know she has, she whirls around on her heel, the knife glistening with blood and glittering with moonlight, flying through the air like a shooting star.

And then Marcel falls down dead, (dead-_ish)_ his throat slashed.

It's like time stands still for just a split second before there is a blast of power that is so not her own. It's so strong that it causes her to fall right over, Caroline being taken down to her knees in the fall out.

"_Bonnie! Caroline!" _

Kol.

She has no idea what possesses her to do it. She chalks it up to stress and emotion. Yeah, that's probably it.

But when Kol is beside her, she finds herself sinking against him, burying her face in his chest. Her tears run hot, soaking his sweater. His arms enfold her against him in a tight embrace, words of nonsense being murmured in an attempt to comfort her.

"What the _hell_ happened?"

Oh, crap. Klaus.

When Bonnie finally gets her wits about her, she manages to pull herself out of Kol's arms to see Caroline leaning over Jane-Anne's body. She watches as Caroline brings down two fingers and gently slides Jane-Anne's eyes shut.

"This psychopath murdered her," Caroline says, not even looking at a furious Klaus as she gestures towards Marcel's incapacitated body.

"Marcel," Kol murmurs softly, recognition in his eyes. "Damn, it's been a long time."

"You know this sicko?" Caroline asks.

"_Knew," _says Kol. "Past tense. Right after I met him, someone shoved a dagger into my chest and stuffed me in a box."

Klaus ignores him, standing over Marcel's body. He glowers at a still slightly trembling Bonnie.

"Witchcraft is illegal in this town, Miss Bennett," he snaps, his voice dangerously soft. "If you two had just stayed at the hotel, we could have told you that but no. You had to sneak out and get yourselves into trouble. Now Marcel will be after all of us."

"I doubt he can take you out," Bonnie shoots back. "Just piss you off. And I think I have proven that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"How do you know him?" Caroline asks, cutting across Bonnie with a warning look.

"I turned him."

"Why the fuck doesn't that surprise me?" Bonnie murmurs, glancing down at her dress. Blood is spattered across her front. She must look like quite a sight.

A new kind of monster.

Cinderella dressed all in white, with a fine layer of scarlet red.

"How can witchcraft be illegal?" Caroline asks, still straightening Jane-Anne's clothing and wiping away the blood. "It's a second nature. How can it be pushed down?"

"Sheila Bennett is a perfect example," Klaus replies.

Anger flashes through her and she takes a menacing step towards the hybrid.

"She didn't use her magic for what-thirty years? And one little binding spell killed her, even when she was channeling her own granddaughter. Quite interesting, don't you think?"

"Niklaus." Kol's voice has a warning to it.

"So yes, Caroline. That's how it can be pushed down. And when a witch hasn't used it in a while, she, or he, can become weakened. It explains why Jane-Anne, who is the strongest of the Devereux line, was so easily taken out by someone like Marcel.

Oh, damn. She needed to give him an aneurism just once.

Klaus lets out a yell, hand flying up to his forehead.

"Bonnie!"

"Who is Marcel?!" she shouts, the electricity flickering around them before it plunges into darkness. "Who the hell is he?!"

"He used to be a warlock before I turned him!" Klaus shouts over the haze of pain before the lights come blazing back on.

* * *

Marcel Rilloti, now known as Marcel, came over the states in the year of 1860, having been plucked right out of Africa and away from his family. He was made a slave and put into the 'employment' of a dick family that beat him unmercifully.

He was no older than 23 and still struggling to get control of his magic when he had been taken away from his family. The stress and devastation of losing almost everything that he had ever known had caused him to snap and one night, he had murdered his master in cold blood before fleeing into the night.

He hated his powers.

And that's where Klaus came in.

The then vampire befriended the young warlock and learned of his problems. There was one simple offer of eternity and Marcel took it, becoming what he was later known as 'the Prince of Quarter' before Klaus and his family fled New Orleans, along with now two coffins, one holding a newly daggered Kol.

Rising through the ranks, Marcel had his own family. He had his own witch that made daylight rings for them. He was dangerous. And he would be even more dangerous once he realized what had happened.

"Why, Bonnie?" Klaus had finally asked. When Bonnie blinked in confusion, he explained. "Why did you lash out? Why didn't you just-"

"Let him murder a witch?!" Bonnie snapped. "He murdered her in cold blood just because she did magic! And I-"

Kol's voice is small. "You what, lamb?"

"I felt it," she breathed.

It was two hours later and they were back at the hotel. Marcel's body had been left in the street but not before Klaus had compelled him. He would wake soon but remember nothing.

The girls were showered and changed into clean clothes, disposing of their bloodied ones in the trash chute. By the time anyone found them, they would be long gone. Bonnie was still wrapped in a fuzzy robe, hair slicked back from her shower.

She was seated on her bed, Caroline beside her. Klaus was on the other bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, eyes hard. Kol was pacing behind him, looking more like a cat caught in a cage.

"I felt her death. I felt the exact moment that he cut her throat, I felt the life draining from her. All witches and warlocks are connected and when one of their own dies, especially if they are murdered, it's felt," Bonnie explains in a rush.

She can feel Caroline's soft gaze on her, coupled with Klaus's confused one.

But she can feel the understanding practically radiating from Kol.

"That's what it was then," he murmurs, finally coming to a standstill.

"You felt it too," Bonnie says. It's a statement, not a question.

"I felt like something inside of me was breaking," Kol says, scooting around the bed that Klaus is seated upon to crouch in front of her. His hands are gentle upon hers and for a moment, she finds she cannot pull away. "For a moment, nothing could ever be good again." Bonnie nods, feeling the tears finally starting to burn. "That's a true connection," she whispers.

And for what feels like a hundred years, a real smile lifts the corners of his mouth up. Their eyes meet and remain connected, so much understanding coming through at last.

Caroline and Klaus are lightly pushed out of this connection because truly, they were will never know how it feels. It's not their faults because they are not servants of nature and of magic. But for what feels like an eternity, even though it's just a split second in time, they get it.

Klaus finds himself watching his little brother. That same little brother that he used to call the 'runt' of the family. He had always been the smallest and the shortest, even young Henrick at the age of ten would be able to get a few swipes in. Looking back, he wondered why he hadn't seen it then. Why he hadn't paid any attention. Finn was always strutting his stuff, showing off the powers that he was slowly gaining, taking up all of the time.

He had missed this small boy that was gaining his own. He had seen little flashes of it, here and there, but never even bothered to find out.

When they were turned, Kol and Rebekah had just had their seventeenth birthday. It wasn't long after Henrick's death, and well...Henrick's death had broken their family. Hitting the prime of their teenage lives. He couldn't remember their exact birthday but he knew it was in late summer and there was something that Kol had wanted to show him. The boy had grown so much in the last year, shooting up to where he stood three inches taller than him. He had been dying to show all of them something but then those glasses of wine were pushed at them.

And he remembered waking up later, witnessing his little sister being pushed to turn into a creature of the night, a monster. And then moments later, he spied his little brother staggering by, blood coating his chin and neck, dragging a body along in his wake.

He didn't see him for nearly a hundred years after that.

Watching his little brother burn to death, screaming in agony. Not being able to do a damn thing about it.

It really didn't matter if Kol was alive and well, standing before him. He would never forget it, watching him die. Almost every night he would lie down to sleep and would screech awake from images of fire and screaming. Of his little brother burning.

He stands back on his heels, both he and Caroline still gently pushed out of the moment shared between the two. His eyes travel over his brother before falling to rest on the young witch that had saved them all, asking for nothing in return. Even though she irritated him sometime, Bonnie Bennett was the most unselfish person he had ever met in his whole length of life. And he also knew it, he understood it, that she was his little brother's soulmate.

Maybe he could have what he always wanted. And it could be for real.

With the addition of Bonnie and also Caroline and maybe even Matt, their family could be complete.

Always and forever.

* * *

"So what did you find out today?"

Klaus had moved them to one of his many safe houses, across the city. It's a nice little chateau tucked in the back of the city with a perfect view of the glorious night around them. Only five rooms but enough space for the four of them.

Caroline had fallen asleep almost immediately once they tumbled through the door. It had been an exhausting night and both girls were worn out. But sleep wasn't coming for Bonnie, no matter how hard she tried. After checking on Caroline, she found herself in the tiny living room curled up on the sofa with her feet in Kol's lap, listening to Klaus explain what they had learned.

"We go back to high school on Monday. Klaus compelled the guidance counselor and the principal. Your records are all straightened out and the schedules are in Caroline's bag, actually." Kol chuckles gently. "Everything's set. You and Caroline will be in four of the same classes as Tamara Brown. Make sure you befriend her and try to get to know as much as you can about her."

"Caroline's good at that," Bonnie murmurs. "What about you?"

"I will be the substitute history teacher," Klaus smiles softly. "And I am Kol's legal guardian since obviously, he is seventeen and too immature to be on his own."

"Shut it."

He receives only a smirk in response.

Bonnie can feel Kol's hands on her ankles, gently kneading out the knots and tension. Just his touch, gentle and soothing, nearly rocks her into oblivion.

"And what about you, Kol?" Bonnie asks, sleep weighing heavily on her eyelids.

"I'll be there too, lamb," he breathes back. "I'll be there too."

.

.

* * *

**There's a theory floating around that I heard where when one witch is murdered, every other witch feels it. They feel like a part of their heart is being ripped away and they can see the true stench of death. When Jane-Anne was murdered, Bonnie felt the onslaught of it because she was right there and Kol felt it too, although not as violent. We can see now that his connection with nature and with other folks of magic is becoming more and more real. He can still be badass though, of course, but he is becoming what he had always been meant to be, a servant of nature. **

**At the end of the chapter with Klaus watching part of his family and these tiny Kennett moments, for some reason I was listening to 'Say' by John Mayer and it flowed right with the scenes. **

**I think everyone is really going to like the next chapter. Yes, our fab four goes back to high school and I warn you, I've got some ridiculous fluff planned that I do hope you enjoy. **

**Reviews are much appreciated, guys. Thanks so much to all of you. **


	17. wonderland

_**wonderland**_

* * *

**a/n: Okay, I'm just...wow...It's been four days and I am still in shock...**

**This chapter is dedicated to every beautiful Bonnie and Kol lover out there. We've waited sixteen chapters. I think it's about time...I hope I do it justice. It's M rated, of course.**

**.**

**.**

'the smile on your face like summer  
the way your hand keeps touching mine  
let me be the one that will make it right  
and maybe, maybe let me hold you baby  
let me come over  
i will tell you secrets nobody knows  
i cannot overstate it  
i will be overjoyed'**  
****-'overjoyed', matchbox twenty**

**.**

**.**

It was late Sunday evening and Bonnie was alone in the house.

Well, kind of alone.

Kol was off somewhere, climbing the walls like a caged animal while Caroline had finally gotten Klaus to give in and take her for a night on the town. For the great Original Hybrid, he sure was putty in her hands.

So yeah, she was alone in the house with Kol.

They were going back to high school early tomorrow morning. Klaus was starting his 'job' on Tuesday. Caroline had managed to send word to Elijah, Matt, and Rebekah and learned that they were still in Mystic Falls, watching the town. Elijah relayed back to them that less and less had been seen of Elena around town, which was a bit fishy, even for her. But his exact words were: "Everything is fine."

What a crock.

She just hoped that they could wrap this witch thing up soon and get back home.

"Bonnie."

The sound of Kol's impossibly soft voice startles her out of her wits. She looks up, eyes peeling around and of course, he's nowhere to be found.

"Kol, that's not funny. You could get caught."

"By whom?" he chuckles, stepping out from the kitchen. "What, the big bad Marcel gonna come and get me?"

She tries hard to not roll her eyes and fails miserably. Her eyes go back to the grimoire in her lap. "You saw what he did to Jane-Anne."

His long body plops down on the sofa beside her, an arm slipping around onto the back. "What happened to Jane-Anne was horrible, I agree. But I also saw what you did to him. I'm not afraid of him."

"We might need him as an ally later."

Kol's eyebrows threaten to disappear into his hair. Bonnie notices that he has let his hair get long and shaggy. She doesn't know why but for some reason, she likes a guy with long hair...

Stop it, Bonnie!

But she wants to run her fingers through those coppery tresses...they look so soft...

_Bonnie! _

It takes her a moment to realize that Kol had spoken her name aloud.

"What?"

A half smirk later and he is gently pressing his lips to hers.

"What was that?" she asks softly when they both come up for air nearly a minute later.

He smirks again, cocking his head to the side. "We're all alone."

That's when she flies off the sofa at inhuman speed, leaving the grimoire behind her. "No, no, no."

Kol's behind her in moments. "Bonnie-"

She turns on her heel and nearly slams into his chest. His arms reach out and catch her, keeping her tiny five foot frame from toppling to the floor. She pushes him away and walks towards the kitchen.

"If you think I am sleeping with you after all the hell we have gone through these last two days, you have seriously lost your mind," she says, returning moments later with a big bottle of wine. Screw the age limit, she needs a damn drink.

"Lamb, I lost my mind a long time ago," Kol remarks softly, stealing the bottle away from her and taking a long draft from it.

"Give me that back!" she snaps. Of course he holds the bottle high above his head, far away from her reach. "Kol!" He laughs evilly in her face. "Kol, that's not funny!" She's close to stomping her foot like a small child.

"Oh, but it is!" he chuckles.

And the bottle flies out of his hand, caught quickly by the small witch, as he is thrown into the opposing wall. He lets out a grunt of discomfort before laughing.

"I thought you were afraid of getting caught?" he asks, quirking a brow.

Bonnie just takes a draft from the bottle, lazily walking back into the living room and settling down on the sofa.

"Aw, lamb! You're not going to just leave me here, are you?"

"You would do the same thing to me," Bonnie says with an equally evil chuckle. She sets down the bottle and gets back to her feet, facing him with her tiny hands resting on her hips. "I know you can easily break that, you big oaf. Why are you still up there?"

He blinks in surprise before doing what she says. He lands lightly on his feet and raises a hand. Before Bonnie knows what's happening, she's doing a face plant into the same wall that she had sent him into.

"Seriously?!" she shrieks. Wow, she needs to stop spending so much time with Caroline. She's beginning to sound like her.

"You're right, little lamb," Kol's voice is full of mischief. "I would do the same thing."

"Argh! You stupid, son of a-"

"Care to finish that sentence?"

She's not sure if she breaks the hold or if he releases her but suddenly she is sitting right on her bum on the hardwood floor. There's a sudden grunt and a loud slam, followed by a crash of glass breaking.

"Aww, that's Nik's favorite and-ow! Loosen the hold a bit!"

The younger witch is on her feet and facing a newly pinned Kol. He's up against the wall once again, shoulders and hands glued back. He gives her a steely eyed wink before she finally allows herself to give in. She can even admit it to herself, this man is _hot. _Those honeyed brown eyes she's sure she's fallen for a long time ago, coppery locks of hair that fall gracefully into his eyes. As long as he doesn't get a stupid Justin Bieber 'do, she likes the long hair.

Muscles that go on for miles and miles and miles...wowza, he's good looking.

_He's fucking gorgeous, Bonnie. Just give in to it. _

Damn, that little voice sounds a lot like Caroline.

She's in front of him before she knows what she's doing; one of her hands slowly working its way up his abdomen. Kol's eyes close at her touch and that familiar smirk graces his lips. She's not sure if she wants to kiss or smack that smirk away.

When her mouth meets his, that's when she knows the answer.

The hold breaks and he returns the kiss with more vigor. His large arms are around her petite form, pulling her against his chest, his mouth leaving hers and working a hot trail down her throat. Those big hands work that delicious pattern down her spine and before she even really knows it; her shirt is up and over her head. Her own hands work at the many irritating buttons on his shirt, practically ready to tear through the fabric and feel some skin.

Once she gets that shirt off, she's annoyed to find a teeshirt underneath.

"Honestly? How many layers are you wearing?" she mumbles against his lips.

"You seem to forget that I need layers now, darling," he croaks back before shutting her up with another kiss.

There are more choked moans and lost little quivers as they continue to paw at each other like animals. She had thought for a while that their first time would be slow, just savoring the moment but now, she couldn't be more wrong. There was so much pent up sexual frustration and aggression and it needed its release and fast!

She feels the bra straps leaving her shoulders, her own body being propelled backward towards the bedroom. She wonders what's wrong with right there in the living room.

Her hands fumble with the buckle on his pants and he assists her, both shedding the rest of their clothing before he finally scoops her up in his embrace and drops her onto the bed. A laugh leaves her lips at the thump of soft blankets and he smiles.

"You're beautiful, you know that?" he whispers, his lips a breath's away from her ear.

A tiny smile lights up her own lips that she can't erase. His mouth smiles against hers and his lips begin to work that same hot trail down her throat. He continues lower this time, tongue dancing on her clavicle and over her chest. When his warm mouth closes around one nipple, her eyes threaten to roll into the back of her head. Oh, hell, it's been a long time. Her last time had been nearly a year ago and it had been with Jamie of all people. Slow and clumsy and unknowing.

And now she was here with someone who had nine hundred years of experience. That gets a girl a little nervous.

His hand is large and oh, so soft. His fingertips dance down her belly, sliding down between her thighs. She feels him smirk against her belly and rolls her eyes. Last thing she needs is him teasing her on how turned on she already is.

His mouth continues its glorious workings on her chest as one finger slips inside, thumbing her clit. A sigh escapes her lips and her hands rake through those long locks of coppery hair, stars starting to glitter beneath her lids. She moans again when another finger slips inside.

He continues to press kisses to her skin, making marks there that no other guy had dared to do. She and Jeremy had never gotten to that place because of everything that had happened but there had been some intense moments (of course) and even he didn't mark her.

It was the vampire that was still within him. Bonnie knew that and so did Kol.

And then his head is between her legs, making her feel things that she hasn't felt before.

A low moan escapes her at the intense feeling and she throws an arm over her mouth, biting down hard enough to draw blood. Of course Kol smells it and his head shoots up. There is enough strength left in her to reach down and push his head back down to continue those wonderful things that he was doing to her. The blood smears on her arm and on the sheets below but she just doesn't give a damn.

He presses more kisses to the inside of her thighs and to her knees. He returns to her own mouth and she can taste herself on his lips. Her hand reaches down and grips him gently, giving him two short strokes. He gasps, he actually _gasps _before kissing her again.

"You're going to pay for that," he murmurs. She just smiles and returns the kiss.

He slides inside of her with a soft sigh.

And for the first time, Bonnie Bennett feels like she's at home.

The rhythm is slow and perfect. When she urges him to go faster, he does. Her legs wrap around his hips and she holds on, matching his thrusts beat by beat. He hits that spot that makes her toes curl and another moan leaves her lips.

"Kol, I think I'm gonna-"

She comes first, him following close behind. His grunt is one of satisfaction and she laughs, kissing his forehead once he unburies his face from her neck.

"That was..."

"Wow," he finishes for her. She laughs again, shaking her head. "What?"

"You are becoming so American," she giggles. He rolls his eyes and finally slides out, rolling onto his side and pulling her with him. It amazes her just how perfectly she fits in his arms, safely nestled against his chest.

"I'll say it again, Ms. Bennett. You are an odd little witch."

She just laughs, cuddling down into the safety of those arms, allowing sleep to take her in.

* * *

"_I thought only vampires could manipulate dreams." _

"_So did I." _

"_Then why am I in your head?" _

_Bonnie's standing on the outskirts of a tiny little town, night falling rapidly. But this isn't a modern day town. This is a town from the past. _

_It's when Kol was a human the first time. _

"_We're home, aren't we?" she whispers, looking at the man beside her. He gives a small nod, not really paying much attention to her. _

"_We're home." _

_His fingers slip through hers and gently pull her back into the darkness just as a small child darts from one of those many huts, ignoring his mother's call. She'd recognize those honey brown eyes anywhere. _

"_That's me," Kol chokes, his own eyes wide with wonder. _

_The boy darts across the compound, farthest away from the village. It's when he stands on the town line, a mere twenty feet away from his future self and her, that he holds out two tiny hands. Bonnie stays hidden, eyes on the younger Kol. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine years old. He is just so small! She wonders when he shot up to the over six foot frame that he is and was. _

"_Look." _

_Kol's voice is husky. _

_She peers closer and sees the bits of light as they struggle to rise from his hands. _

"_Oh my..." _

_She can see the disappointment in the boy's eyes when they disappear. _

_Before she really knows what she's doing, she pulls away from her Kol and steps through the brush, quietly announcing her arrival. _

"_Hello there," she says carefully. _

_Even in her attempts not to startle the boy, he still jumps violently, turning around on his heels. _

"_Who might you be?" he asks, brown eyes wide. _

"_My name is Bonnie," she whispers. "What is your name?" _

"_My name is Kol," he answers simply, hands falling to his sides. _

"_Hi, Kol," Bonnie says warmly. "I see you're trying to make light out of your hands?" _

_The boy's face blanches for a moment. "You-you saw me?" _

_She nods. "It's okay because I am what you are." _

"_And what am I? I've seen my brother Finn do something like that and I cannot do it as well." _

_Bonnie goes down on her knees in front of the boy, feeling future Kol's eyes boring on her from his hiding place in the brush. _

"_You are a warlock, Kol," Bonnie says. "And I know that because I am a witch." _

"_You are?!" _

_She laughs softly. "Yes, I am. Here, give me your hand." She holds out one hand to which he places his small one in. "Because you are so young, you have still got a long way to go before you can produce fire like this." And then her other hand is full of flames. _

"_Heavens!" the boy cries out, nearly toppling back in surprise. Bonnie laughs again, relinquishing the flames. "I will be able to do that?!" _

"_And so much more, Kol," Bonnie whispers. "But first I think you should try something like this." _

_In that same hand is a glowing snowflake, so bright and so beautiful. She lets it slip out of her hand and rest on his palm. The light immediately goes out, the warmth going with it. _

"_Now concentrate, Kol," Bonnie murmurs. "You can do it." _

_His little face purses with determination. As he works, she can hear another call of the boy's name. This one is male. _

"_Kol!" _

_They both ignore it. Bonnie's hand slides underneath the younger Kol's and for a moment, their energy is shared. She hears her Kol's gasp from behind her and knows he can feel it too. _

_The snowflake becomes alive with light and warmth. It rises up slowly out of the boy's palm and turns in mid air. Its light is so bright, so beautiful. _

"_You did it," Bonnie smiles, her eyes meeting his. _

"_Thank you!" the boy chirps happily. She removes her hand from his and he continues holding onto the light on his own. He never really needed her help, just a little push. _

_In the back of her mind, Bonnie finds herself hating Esther and Mikael even more that she thought she could. She's staring down at this beautiful little boy who had so much light and joy within him and then she sees what he is made into. For years he runs as a monster, the magic residing so deep in his black heart that it seemed impossible to come back out. She wonders how the _hell _it could find its way out. _

Because of you, Bonnie. Because of you.

_There goes that stupid voice again. _

"_Kol, I have to go now," she whispers. The boy looks at her in surprise. "But I promise, you will see me again." _

"_Can I tell my family about you? How you helped me?" _

_She shakes her head. "I do not think that is a good idea."_

_To her amazement, the boy gives in. "All right." _

"Kol!"

"_I think that's your brother calling you," Bonnie says, watching him struggle to keep the light glowing in the tiny snowflake. Her eyes rake through the darkness and she sees a gangly kid with dark blue eyes striding towards them. "I have to go." Kol gives her those damn puppy dog eyes. Jeez, even then he could worm his way out of anything with his big innocent eyes. "Goodbye, Bonnie." _

_She steps backwards, away from the clearing and back into the brush. Her Kol's hand snaps out and closes around her wrist, pulling her out of sight just as his brother approaches his younger self. _

"_Kol, what are you-oh my..." _

_The boy quickly closes his hand over the snowflake, the light diminished. "Nothing, Nik." _

_Bonnie lets out a tiny gasp. Kol's hand slips over her mouth, covering her cry. _

_He couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen years old. _

_But there he was. Long shaggy dark blond hair, bright blue eyes, an innocence about him that was just so pure...He probably had no idea about his werewolf lineage, or his future. The future where he would become one of her greatest enemies and then, somehow, her ally. _

_She's suddenly struck by a memory that seems so long ago. She's standing in a galley of paintings and pieces of art and there is a painted piece of a glowing snowflake. It holds such a light, a perfect piece of innocence that seems so rare in this town of death and she finds that she cannot look away for several minutes. It takes Jeremy dragging her away to make her come out of the trance that it puts her in. _

_And then...she's so awake. _

* * *

"What was that?"

"I might ask you the same question, lamb."

"You lied to me. You said that your family had no idea that you held powers."

"I didn't lie, Bonnie. By the time that Niklaus knew, that he understood, it was too late. And yes, Elijah and Rebekah never knew."

Bonnie sits up slowly in bed, pulling the covers up over her bare chest. "I never even bothered to think about it before. I never even...I just thought that all of you were evil to begin with. I never put it together that you were once kids that had your whole lives ahead of you."

He shifts closer to her, his fingers trailing down her back. She shivers lightly at the touch.

"That's what we were, lamb. We were children who didn't know any better."

"You became the first vampires, Kol. If you hadn't-you could have lived. You could have lived a normal life of eighty years and then died peacefully. You didn't have to be murdered like pigs brought out for the slaughter."

He sits up then, one finger sliding underneath her chin so she has no choice but to look at him. "I want you to listen to me, Bonnie. I don't regret what I went through, all right? I'd do it again."

"But _why_?"

"Because if I hadn't, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't be here with you."

Her heart skips a beat and then thuds so loudly that she's sure he can hear it.

"I remember that day," he whispers, pressing his lips to her shoulder.

"Do you?"

"I remember meeting a mysterious woman who showed me how to create light. And then her promising me that we'll see each other again someday."

A smile starts to crease her lips as his mouth begins to work up her shoulder and to her neck.

"I also remember my brother coming out and ruining the moment."

His mouth is on her chin now.

"I think we've been interrupted enough, don't you think?" she whispers back, allowing her mouth to meet his once again. He lightly pushes her down onto her back and this time, it's Bonnie who lets out the sigh when he slides inside of her.

"I love you."

The words are there. And they're so small that Bonnie isn't sure she's heard them right. But she knows they're there.

Her arms tighten around him as he picks up the beat once again. She can't say it back. Not yet.

But she will.

.

.

* * *

_Up next: Matt gets his revenge. _

_The fab four goes back to high school. _

_/_

_Other song suggestions: safe and sound by taylor swift_

_in a second by aly and aj_

* * *

**I'm still in shock. I mean, seriously, I am still in shock. I was expecting Katherine or Matt to die but Bonnie? **

**Forgive me for saying this but I kind of hope she stays dead so Kat can get out of there and find real work. I heard that her music is doing well so maybe she can focus on that. Or maybe, now this is head canon for me, she and Nate can hop over to Supernatural. :) Why not? **

**Okay, so here we have it. Finally, the big 'I love you'. And we all knew that Bonnie wouldn't say it back. She can't. At least not yet. But like the last line, she will. **

**Quick shout outs for two of my favorite gals. MidnightRain6593 has finally updated her amazing Kennett story 'Pray For Rain'. Check it out, it's so amazing! And vilis91 has posted a oneshot that is the aftermath of 4x12 where Elijah and Marcel show up in Mystic Falls right after Kol's death and they get their revenge together and take care of a downed Klaus. It's called 'Breaking Point'. Check them out! So good! **


	18. revenge can be sweet

_**revenge can be sweet**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'can we go back, this is the moment  
tonight is the night, we'll fight till it's over  
so we put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us  
like the ceiling can't hold us  
can we go back, this is the moment  
tonight is the night, we'll fight till it's over  
so we put our hands up like the ceiling can't hold us  
like the ceiling can't hold us'**  
-'can't hold us', macklemore and ryan lewis**

**.**

**.**

"I wonder if Kol and Bonnie killed each other."

"I guess you'll have to open the door and we'll see."

"Oh!"

It had been a glorious night on the town. It was the early morning hours, the sun not quite up in the sky yet. The town was finally tempering down into sleep, finding it's way into the unconscious that the sparse humans and many vampires did need.

Caroline wouldn't hesitate to admit it, she enjoyed the hybrid's company. He could be painfully shy or so loud and exuberant that she had to tell him to shut up. But he knew how to have fun. He knew how to make her laugh.

That's what pissed her off the most the first time it happened.

He had made her laugh so hard that her voice cracked and she let out a snort. Once that snort had left her lips, she was mortified but he just laughed himself, finding her absolutely adorable.

"I'm not adorable," she had mumbled, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye before letting her lips fall into a relaxed smile.

To put it in a nutshell, it was a great night.

And they had shared their first kiss.

Okay, it was a fantastic night!

"Love? The door?"

"Oh, yeah."

She realized that she had been standing there, absorbed in her thoughts for nearly a minute before Klaus's gentle push pulled her out of it. She pushes the door open, Klaus following her over the threshold. Her eyes scan around the living room and she feels her heartbeat quicken ever so slightly.

"I don't see anything broken," she says before catching the busted vase laying near the fireplace. "Oh, dear."

"How about rephrasing that to 'I don't see any _blood_'?"

She groans. "You're morbid."

"It's how I get by, love."

Caroline rolls her eyes again before pushing past him. "Bonnie!" She jogs down the short little hallway to her shared bedroom with her friend. Hell, there was only five rooms in this cramped little apartment. Even the boys bunked up. She doesn't even bother knocking before she charges right in.

And sees a groggy, very _naked _Bonnie sitting up in bed, pulling the sheets up over her bare chest, a still unconscious Kol curled up beside her.

"Caroline!" Bonnie admonishes lightly, too tired to even really care.

Caroline manages to clamp her gaping mouth shut and finds only one word escaping. "Oops!" Heat flushes her cheeks. "Don't mind me. I'm just the cleaning lady." And she backs right out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She can hear Bonnie's own groan of embarrassment as she turns and nearly smacks into Klaus's chest.

"Don't go in there."

His indigo eyes widen in surprise. "Pardon?"

She shakes her head again. "Don't go in there."

A dawning recognition crosses his handsome features and he lets out a laugh. "No bloodshed?"

Caroline allows a small smirk to cross her lips. "The opposite of bloodshed as a matter of fact."

"'Bout damn time."

* * *

Rebekah found him alone in the living room, staring at something crinkled and battered in his hands.

Matt was seated on the couch, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, what looked like a beat up photograph between his fingers. His back was tense, muscles tight with agitation and obvious anger. She didn't even have to look into his face to know the expression that he was wearing.

"Matt?"

He uses vampire speed to fly off of the sofa and comes to a standstill a mere few inches away from her. She blinks, taking a tiny step backward in surprise. It's been weeks and she is still not used to this. To her, he will always be that perfect human boy who always had his life ahead of him. He was going to meet some lucky girl, get married, have several beautiful babies, live to be eighty-three years old and die in his bed.

Standing before her was a warrior wearing that perfect human's face. He could be a ruthless killer at the drop of a hat. He had yet to kill anyone with either her or Elijah watching him like a hawk but he had come so close so many times.

She knew what he wanted. She could practically feel it in her bones.

A tiny hand reaches out and gently pulls the photograph from him. She's surprised that he doesn't fight her.

She sees three figures smiling back at her in the photograph. One tall redheaded woman with wide brown eyes and an angular jaw. The girl beside her is obviously her daughter, with the same red hair, angular jaw, and brown eyes. The boy on the other side of her couldn't have been more than fifteen but it was obviously Matt, his eyes full of innocence and happiness.

The last time that the Donovan family was together and happy.

Rebekah carefully folds the picture back up and hands it back to the young vampire. She sees a flash of veins underneath and knows that they need to get out of this house right now.

"Let's go hunting."

He's out the door faster than even her eyes can follow. Seconds pass and then she's right behind him.

It's almost exhilarating to run like this, to run this fast and feel this free even though it's never going to last.

Matt fed mostly on blood bags but sometimes, because of the hunting instincts in him, he had to kill something. He had hunted before as a human so the thought of taking down deer never really bothered him.

He sees a deer and before she can even blink, he's on it. He makes the deer's death quick and drinks deeply. She wrinkles her nose in distaste, deciding to stick with the blood bags later.

And then she hears it. They both hear it.

Footsteps.

Matt's head shoots up, a thin smear of blood dribbling down his chin, fangs still out. His fangs retract and he stands up, wiping the blood away.

"Who else is out here at this time of night?" he whispers, just loud enough for her to hear.

She shakes her head. "I don't know."

He darts away, following the sound. She doesn't let him get very far, leaping onto his back and pinning him against a tree.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she growls, veins starting to protrude under her own eyes.

"It's Damon Salvatore!" he snarls back, fangs at their full length.

Damn, she really hates this.

Her hands loosen from his throat and he pushes her away. He's gone before she can even realize what is going on.

She doesn't let him get far, pursuing close behind once she picks up his scent. She can smell Damon Salvatore too. She doesn't even bother to wonder why he is out in the woods this early in the morning, not caring one bit in the slightest. Something to do with Elena, they all know that.

She can smell Damon's fear.

He knows that they're there.

Damn, he is _fast. _

She tumbles into a clearing where the moon is shining bright. To her left she can see the beginning edges of the dawn shining through.

And then she knows what Matt is about to do.

* * *

"I'm sorry about that. I really need to learn how to knock."

Her friend gives her a small smile as she pulls her sweater tighter around her thin frame. "It's fine."

Caroline peers into Bonnie's face, gently trying to bring her eyes to meet hers. "Bonnie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Caroline."

Of course, the nosey blonde doesn't back down.

"Something is wrong, Bonnie. You should be walking on air right now. Or was Kol that bad in bed?"

"Caroline!"

"So he wasn't?"

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "He was the exact opposite of bad."

The squeal that Caroline lets out could be heard in Texas.

"Ooooh, congratulations!" Bonnie felt the wind being knocked out of her as her friend threw her arms around her in a bone crushing hug.

"Ooof, Caroline, ease up a little. You're like stone."

"Oh, sorry," Caroline quickly pulled away. "You all right?"

Bonnie finally allows herself a small smile. "I am more than all right."

* * *

The hunter body slams the much older vampire into the tree just right, the Original freezing a few yard behind them. A branch breaks through the vampire's skin and comes out the other side, effectively pinning him there.

"What the-ahh!"

Damon wails in pain, eyes clenched shut, not even looking at his attacker.

And then Matt leans in, his lips barely a breath's away from his ear.

"Hello, Damon. Miss me?"

Damon lets out another small groan. "How...the _hell_ are you alive?" he moans, hands clawing at the stake that was protruding from his belly.

"Oh, I'm not exactly alive," Matt replies. He feels his gums throbbing and allows his fangs to slip down. Damon finally looks his way and needless to say, he looks shitfaced terrified. "But I'm not exactly dead either."

And then from behind his back, he pulls another stake and plunges it deep into the Salvatore's belly.

"It was only a matter of time before I became one of you," Matt says. "But I have to say, I like it because a certain monster got his hands on me and let's just say, he gave me a bit of his power." He pulls the stake out, ignoring Damon's sob. "It's interesting, thinking about the blood. Trying to find ways to siphon off the lust for it. Sex usually helps but for some reason, I'm a bit stronger than your former plaything so I have to take it easy."

That was all a pack of lies. But it was fun to see the bastard squirm.

"How's your new little plaything doing?" Matt snarls. "Used that sirebond recently?" And the stake comes back out and goes back in. "Ever since you strolled your way into town, people have suffered. Innocent people have suffered. Like, let's see, my sister." The stake is driven deeper in. "Oh and Elena and Caroline and Jeremy and well, jeez, I could go on and on!" With each word, Matt continues to push the stake deeper in until it comes out the other side of his torso.

Damon lets out another soft groan as Matt rips the stake from his body.

"How does that feel, Damon?" he breathes in his ear. "Do you feel that? Feel the life force slowly draining out of you? Does it feel good? Maybe it does feel good to vampires because defenseless humans sure don't like it. There's Viki and there's Caroline...Or maybe-" He rears his head back, fangs glistening in the moonlight.

And then he struck.

He strikes so hard and so quickly that Rebekah almost misses it.

She can see the lights leaving Damon's eyes. Another minute or two and Matt is going to bleed him dry.

She had only known one other vampire that fed on vampires and that was her father.

That's when she dashes forward, grabbing onto Matt's shoulders and pulling him back with all of her strength. He drops her like a stone but she gets right back up, latching onto his upper form one more time. She fears that she's going to have to go drastic because Damon Salvatore can't show up dead yet. More than ever she'd like to let Matt finish him off but not yet. No one can know they are back in Mystic Falls.

That's when she finally snaps his neck.

* * *

Bonnie inspects herself in the mirror. She is clad in a pair of whitewashed jeans that fit snugly around her hips, an off the shoulder t-shirt, her favorite white jacket overtop of it with a single gold chain resting on herw chest. Her hair is swept around the base of her neck in a loose ponytail with a few bobby pins. Her favorite decker boots clad her feet.

"Bonnie, you look hot."

She rolls her eyes at the sound of her friend's voice. She turns around and her jaw nearly falls to the floor at the sight of the blonde vampire. Of course, she looks fabulous.

"I might say the same for you too, Caroline," Bonnie chuckles. "I feel like we're going to a fashion show instead of high school."

Caroline throws back her golden mane and laughs. "I totally agree."

"_Hey! Are you two models coming or what?!" _

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "The mighty preacher calls his flock and we must obey."

"Or I will feed him his eyeballs," Caroline muses darkly as she grabs their bags. "Let's go."

They arrive to the tiny kitchen where the brothers are currently conversing about something. Once Caroline lays eyes on Kol, she lets out a wail.

"Why is it that you are a _man_ and you look hotter than I do?!"

And truth be told, he _did. _

Kol wore a pair of whitewashed jeans with work boots, a heavy gold belt buckle resting at his hips, a black teeshirt that fit around his torso just right and showed off all of his muscles through the thin material, and his favorite brown jacket that Klaus had actually replaced. The original had been burned off him. That was still a dark reminder. His hair was slicked up off of his forehead, making him look the formerly forever teenager that he was.

Bonnie couldn't help but wonder when the hell his birthday was. Or if he even remembered.

Klaus ignored Caroline's wilting expression, shoving a piece of toast and a glass of blood at her. He tossed a bagel at Bonnie to which she swiftly caught, raising her eyebrows in surprise. He just shrugged, going back to shuffling around what papers that he had spread across the counter. Before Bonnie knew it, she had a schedule pressed into her hands and was being pushed out the door.

Of course, they were running late. Big surprise there.

* * *

The first thing he felt when he woke up was an intense soreness in his neck.

A groan leaves his lips and then it all comes rushing back.

"Damn it, Rebekah!"

"I'm afraid you're too late. I was damned a long time ago."

He sits up slowly, his vision blurry. He glances to the side and sees her sitting across from him on the opposing sofa. Her eyes are swollen and puffy, her makeup smeared. She's still in the same clothing that she was in before, her white shirt streaked with blood.

Damon's blood.

He glares viciously at the tiny blonde. "Why the _hell _didn't you let me kill him?!"

"Believe me, I wanted to let you kill him," Rebekah shoots back. "To get Damon Salvatore's sorry ass out of the way would be wonderful. But Matt, if he shows up dead or missing, everyone's going to know that it's one of us. Kol already pulled that boneheaded stunt attacking Elena. It's not the right time."

Matt just gives her an icy stare. He takes deep breath and it all comes rushing out.

"He attacked my sister and turned her," he says, rising up off of the sofa. "He tortured her, made her think she was losing her mind. And then he moved onto Caroline and pretty much raped her. Caroline's a vampire now because of him. He got into Elena's head and screwed with her, constantly beat the hell out of Stefan when Stefan tried to stop him, he killed Mason Lockwood, he attacked Bonnie, he attacked me!"

All Rebekah hears is those last words.

"He attacked you?"

She never did know about that.

Matt blinks. "After Elena was turned, he tried to kill me. Elena gave up her life to save me."

Rebekah did know about Elena dying for Matt. But right now, she wondered if Elena was capable of caring about anyone but herself. The Salvatore brothers had made sure that the whole world did revolve around her and to be honest, she was surprised that Bonnie and Caroline hadn't broken away sooner. She got it, she understood that they loved Elena and their lives would always be connected because of the pasts that they shared. But now...everything had changed.

When Bonnie made that choice to pull Kol back from the Other Side, to lay her loyalty with him, that's when it became different. She hated to admit it but the witch and the blonde vampire were a part of their family now. She wasn't ashamed to admit that so was Matt.

She had fallen in love with Matt a long time ago. Probably from the first moment that he placed that coat around her shoulders at the ball, that was she began to feel something. Something real.

She knew that the real Matt was somewhere underneath this hunter. His emotions were heightened so highly right now, all of his rage against one certain vampire and his grief. She also knew that she did the right thing, allowing him to torture Damon but stopping him before he killed him. Needless to say, the son of a bitch deserved everything that Matt dished out and more.

"Right now, I think we need to focus on something other than revenge," Rebekah finally says softly.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Matt recognizes the light change in the conversation, knowing that she was ending it because she had too.

"How do you feel about going back to high school?"

* * *

"So what's the plan? Do I know either of you?"

Kol chuckles softly, his eyes locking with Bonnie's for a half of a second before looking back at Caroline. They come to a stop at the sidewalk where there is a Prius that looks startlingly like Bonnie's baby back home and a Harley motorcycle.

"You two are friends and Bonnie's father is your guardian," Klaus says. "That's the story you feed people."

"And I don't know either of you," Kol says with a smirk. "But I'd sure like to get to know you all over again." With that, he slides closer to Bonnie who gives him a slap in the chest. "Ow."

"Give it a rest, bucky," Bonnie says with a smile. "Maybe later."

Inside, Caroline is squealing.

* * *

It's like she is caught in a really bad eighties high school film.

She walks slowly down the school hallway, keeping her eyes peeled for a blonde. She sees her, coming the other way. Eyes meet, grey on green with tiny nods exchanged.

Showtime.

Bonnie slipped into a classroom just as the bell rang, eyes raking around. She remembers the photograph that Klaus shoved underneath her nose of one Tamara Brown. The girl looked about sixteen or seventeen with long dark hair and olive skin and blue eyes. She just didn't look like someone who was a powerful witch or a descendent of Silas but hey, never judge a book by it's cover. Bonnie learned that the hard way.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Caroline sashey into the room, followed by the girl in question. Their eyes meet one more time and Caroline gives the tiniest incline of the head behind her. Bonnie nods in return.

They found her.

There's roll call and the teacher introduces both Bonnie and Caroline to the class.

"I hope you will make these ladies feel welcome," he says. "You may take your seats, girls."

Bonnie glimpses an empty seat behind Tamara and quickly sits down in it. Her eyes trace the girl's features, the back of her head was actually quite interesting and she could get away with staring at her without looking enormously creepy.

Homeroom lets out about twenty minutes later and the class takes off like a shot. Bonnie hangs behind when she sees Tamara hanging behind as well. She loiters near the doorway, giving Caroline a 'go on' look when the girl stops. The vampire continues on down the hallway just as Tamara exits the class room.

"Hi…Tamara?"

The girl gives her the once over before her face relaxes into a smile. "Bonnie, right? Bonnie McCullough?"

Bonnie nods with a smile. "Yes. Sorry for being a bother but I was wondering if you could tell me where Room 212 was?"

Tamara smiles. "That's where I'm going next. I'll walk with you."

Bonnie's own face relaxes into a relieved smile. God, I should an Oscar for this.

"Thank you so much."

They walk along and Tamara gives her another smile. "Tell me, you new in town?"

"Yep. I just moved here with my foster sister Caroline. We needed a change."

Just then, a boy brushes past the two of them, gently bumping into Tamara.

"Oh, sorry about that, ladies."

Bonnie glances over her shoulder to see Kol smirking at her. Tamara stops and gives the goo-goo eyes.

"Wow, that's a _hottie._"

Okay, why the hell does Bonnie want to rip this girl's tongue out?

"Eh, he's not so much," she says out loud, knowing well enough that Kol can hear her.

"Seriously, do you have eyes?!" Tamara laughs. She notices Bonnie's expression and laughs again. "Sorry about that."

Bonnie glances back over her shoulder and can see Kol just as he's about to turn the corner. Despite it being a crowded corridor filled with students, it's hard to miss that messy coppery head. Their eyes meet for a second and she shoots him a withering glare. He doesn't even have the decency to look ashamed of himself, he just smirks. Damn him.

"It's fine," Bonnie finally answers. "Where are you going after this class?"

"I have Glee practice."

"You're in glee club?" Aw crap. Caroline's going to love this.

"Yeah. We're looking for new members. Can you sing?"

"Uh…not really. But my sister can."

"You should join! Both of you!"

_Already in too deep, Bonnie. In too deep. Walk away right now. _

_._

_._

* * *

**This is kind of part one of a three part chapter series. It's the high school years! :)**

**Matt needed to get his revenge against Damon. It's been long awaited and Damon deserves to have the crap beaten out of him. Since Matt is still part hunter, doubled with his vampire side, he can be stronger than Rebekah but that's only in certain circumstances. He needs to kill things, he needs to be a hunter, so that's why she's taking him hunting for animals. Damon's okay, Rebekah healed him and compelled his ass. I'm pretty much dropping the vervain thing right off the map. **

**Since Bonnie slept with Kol, she can see he's back on his high horse and wants to pop him down a few pegs. But of course, that doesn't stop her from being jealous as hell when Tamara gives him the sex eyes. This is kind of a lead up chapter to the real (embarrassing) fun that will start next time. Yes, Glee! But this fluff will make sense soon enough. **

**For now, enjoy the chapter and I don't say no to reviews! I love you all! Safe weekend. **


	19. the witches

_**the witches **_

* * *

_**(a/n: **_**anybody else want to bang their head against a wall after seeing the finale?) **

_**.**_

_**.**_

'**move and show me what you can do  
****when you step into the circle and shake like we do  
****move when you just can't take it  
****and move if you just feel like breaking it  
****can you hear me?  
****stop, look, listen to my voice  
****it was never my choice to feel all alone'  
****-'move', thousand foot krutch**

**.**

**.**

Nearly a week goes by and there's nothing.

Okay, well there's something.

Going into Klaus's class for the first time was a harrowing experience. Bonnie felt like she had just walked into a bad novel. And when she saw Caroline's starry-eyed gaze on the Original all the way through the class, she felt the need to vomit. Honestly, why does the saying 'hot for teacher' have to be so clichéd?

Right after class is over, they hang back to listen to Klaus whine about just grabbing the girl and taking her back to another safe house of his. Going 'undercover' was taking too much time and it was only the second day!

"No!" Bonnie snaps. "This isn't some insolent little vampire that you can torture and then kill, this is a witch! She is Silas' descendent and her powers-"

"I don't care about her bloody powers, Bonnie!" Klaus snaps, getting to his feet. "I care about ending Silas and it seems that Katerina has led us on a wild goose chase. I suggest-"

There is a loud gasp and the hybrid is on his knees, Bonnie standing over him.

"Listen to me, Klaus. We are doing this my way. It is the safest way. And yes, it may take a while but when you are dealing with someone like Silas, you don't want to fuck it up and wind up getting staked. Understand?"

Klaus can barely give a weak nod before Bonnie releases him from the aneurism. She turns on her heel but right before she goes, there's a last warning.

"Do not underestimate me, Klaus."

* * *

He watches and he waits.

The pretty brunette says goodbye to a friend before making her way to her locker. She unceremoniously stuffs her books inside and grabs her jacket, slamming the door shut and taking off at a speed that was hard for him to keep up with at human pace.

He passes a blonde and a caramel skinned girl on the way. Eyes lock and nods are exchanged but no one follows him as he continues to trail after the girl.

And she continues to walk, carefully brushing past her fellow students, right out the front door.

Where the hell is she going?

When he had brushed up against her in the hallway just a few days before, he had felt the Power seeping through her veins. She was a witch and she was a strong one. Katherine's tip had been real.

But what was she up too?

He had a feeling she knew what he was and what Bonnie and Caroline were. He had yet to run into another vampire besides Caroline, Matt, and the rest of his family but with just a touch, he would know. This girl would know.

He watches from the doorway as Tamara crosses the parking lot. He supposes she's heading for her car and wonders if he's just too many ideas running around in his head. But then she walks past her car and through a thick brush.

Okay, that's peculiar.

He speeds up a bit, not quite as fast as he can go, but far enough behind so where she won't notice. Hopefully, that is.

The long haired girl continues to walk, never once looking behind her. He makes sure to follow at least thirty yards behind, never letting that long black jacket out of his sight.

She then goes around a corner. He gives her a five second count before he goes around that same corner.

And receives a stake to the belly.

"Take that, vampire."

The pain is instantaneous. As a vampire, he'd feel a little prick with some of the plain wooden stakes and then it would be over. When he had been staked that last time, it had been something that would stay with him forever. It would wake him up in the middle of the night.

But this...Being a human and receiving a stake to the belly was something that you didn't really come back from. He wonders if it hit any of his internal organs. His hand goes to his belly and when he pulls it away, it's sticky and red.

Yep, probably nicked the spleen.

The girl lets out a shriek. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. You're a vampire, not a human!" Almost like she is trying to fix her mistake but alas, there's nothing that can be done for her.

Kol sinks to his knees, reaching out a hand towards the girl. He can hear a voice calling his name.

It's _her _voice. But it's so far away.

None of this is real.

The world is getting darker. Much darker than he had ever gotten used to.

He's back in that kitchen, those dark silvery green orbs hanging above him.

And this time, a gentle hand takes his. It goes against his belly, bracing, and then the stake is pulled clean out. A cry leaves his throat. Those hands go against his belly once again and the pain starts to ebb away.

"Can you feel that? Hang on."

His own hand comes down, covering hers. He can feel his strength beginning to return.

"You're all right. You're gonna be okay."

Hot tears gather for a moment because even though this second is bloody it is actually quite beautiful. It's a moment that is filled with magic. Their combined magic. Filled with an absolute warmth that has nothing to do with darkness or Black Power.

This is real.

His hand claws at his stomach again and comes away clean.

He's healed.

The blurriness is gone. The darkness has disappeared.

Bonnie reaches out her hands again and pulls him to his feet. Her emerald orbs eye him for a second.

"Are you all right?" she asks softly. There is a tiny nod that comes from him before she punches him right in the shoulder. Well, ow.

"Ow!"

Yeah, that's all that comes out of his mouth. Just an 'ow'.

"If you ever scare me like that again-"

He doesn't give her a chance to finish as his mouth closes over hers.

It only takes about twenty seconds when she gets her wits about her and gently pushes him away.

"Where is she?" Bonnie asks softly. He can see the look in her eyes and knows.

"She's gone."

* * *

Bonnie traces the power lightly. It's easy to trace, and even easier to follow. Kol can't help but wonder why Marcel didn't find this a long time ago.

But when they get there, it becomes more obvious.

"Tamara?"

The girl jumps nearly a foot in the air, whirling around to face them. Her hair is wild and mussed, blood streaking her trembling hands. Her eyes go wide when she sees Kol and for a split second, he thinks she's about to pass out with fear.

"I'm sorry!" The girl cries. "I didn't mean too. I-"

"You thought I was a vampire," he finishes. "It's a common mistake." Bonnie slaps him in the chest. "I mean, I _was_ a vampire for about a millennium."

"Kol, shut up."

"Sorry, lamb. I can't."

"Kol!"

Her hands grasp air as Kol pushes past her and steps over the threshold.

Once he is through the doorway, he can hear it. Or, _them. _

"What are you?" Tamara asks. "I felt the vampire. You can't-"

The unlit candle beside her is suddenly blazing with light. It's like a domino effect and every candle after that lights up, one right after the other.

The girl watches them light. She turns with the beauty and stops, her eyes wide once again. They fall back on the couple in front of her and she nearly collapses.

"I didn't think witches survived in this town," she says softly. "Marcel usually kills them before anything can happen."

Kol chuckles out loud, ignoring Bonnie's glare. "Oh darling, you don't know the half of it."

Bonnie steps over the threshold and immediately hears the dull whispers resonating through her brain like a hymn. Wincing slightly, she pushes them back. "He's an Original, Tamara," she says. "He was a vampire for a really long time before-"

"Before what?"

"Before I was murdered by her idiotic friends," Kol says. He glimpses Tamara's shock and lets out a laugh. "Don't worry, love. You're not the first one to stab me in the gut."

Bonnie glares at him again, holding out a hand and resting it on his chest. He ignores the flare of electricity from her touch, continuing to smirk at the younger witch.

"It's kind of a soap opera after that."A defiant expression crosses Tamara's face and she folds her arms across her chest. "I've got time."

And it goes like that. Kol and Bonnie take turns explaining what is happening and the circumstances surrounding it. What surprises the elder warlock is that the girl doesn't seem that surprised to hear this.

"You already knew this," he says suddenly, surprising Bonnie into silence. "You're working with Silas, aren't you?"

"What? No!"

"Don't lie to me, Tamara," Kol says, scooting closer in his chair. "I suggest that you tell me the truth."

"I am not working with Silas, Kol," Tamara says softly. "That is the exact opposite of what I want to do."

"Then what are you doing here?" Bonnie asks. "Why are you in this house?"

"She came to see me."

It takes him a minute to realize who exactly he is looking at as she steps out from the shadows.

"Sophie?"

It's almost uncanny how much she looks like her sister. If it wasn't for the turban around her head and the ugly silver earrings dangling from her ears, he would have thought she was the witch that he saw die less than a week ago.

"Nice to see you again, Kol," the woman says with a smile.

* * *

After the death of Jane-Anne, Sophie had fled to the inner most parts of the city. For someone who was supposed to be the king of the quarter, Marcel sure wasn't very bright. This witch house was protected by the magic of the deceased witches, a deep and powerful magic that not even Marcel could feel. It was the mistake of doing one spell out in the open that had gotten them caught and Jane-Anne executed.

"What did you do?" Bonnie asks.

"We did a locator spell," Sophie says. "To find out if _your _brother was really on his way here."

"But we felt other power," says Tamara. "We felt magic and we felt an abomination."

"What you felt was us," Bonnie says.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that," Sophie says. "What Tamara felt was the vampire and that's why-"

"I understand," Kol replies softly. "It's still…in me. And it always will be."

"That doesn't matter now," says Sophie. "You're here."

"What did you track Klaus for?" Bonnie asks.

"We needed to know if he was coming here and why. And I can see why."

"To find her," Kol says, getting to his feet. "She knows so much about Silas and how to put him down. She is his direct descendent."

"Believe me, that is the last thing I want to be," Tamara says softly. "What do you even know about Silas?"

"That he's creating hell on earth as we speak," Kol snaps. "Listen to me. We are here because she is connected to him and we need to find a way to stop him. Do you even know how he gains his powers? By slitting throats and bleeding them out, taking in their souls. He tried to bleed out one of the Brothers but couldn't and now we have a crazy vampire slash hunter on our hands. He needs to be stopped before everyone dies!"

Sophie doesn't even blink at his outburst. She places a delicate hand on his chest and gently pushes him back.

"I get that, Kol," Sophie says. "But with witchcraft being banned in this town, it causes a slight problem."

"You have your very own witch house. Fix it!"

"Why do you think you're here?!" Sophie shoots back, glaring.

That's when Bonnie finally rises to her feet, her hand snapping out and closing around Kol's arm. At her touch, he stills.

"What does this entail, Sophie? What do we have to do?"

From what Sophie and Tamara had both been studying, they learned that the only way to get ride of Silas was to send him to the Other Side. And the only way to get him to the Other Side was to have the members of the Other Side pull him over. They would have to summon a ghost.

Summoning a ghost is no easy task. And if anyone should know, it's Bonnie. The one time that she summoned her Grams, it nearly wiped her out. It is such a strengthening of Power, whoever did it would have to channel other witches and warlocks, living and dead. But this was more.

This was Esther's kind of magic.

And Kol says that out loud. "So I have to pull one of my mother's tricks out?"

"Pretty much," says Tamara.

"But what kind of ghost? Who is strong enough to pull him over?" Bonnie says.

"My mother."

* * *

"Are you out of your ever-living mind?! Summoning Mother?!"

"Think about it, Niklaus. She is strong enough to pull Silas back. She can draw on her power again since she is dead."

Bonnie had never seen Klaus look so afraid before in all of her life. She knew what Esther was capable of but he had been able to easily defeat her.

Well, her mother had to turn into a vampire then but who's counting?

"Why do you look so scared?" Kol asks, stating her thoughts.

"Because I know what she can do to you, all right?!" The hybrid had stopped in his pacing and turned around so fast to face him, even Caroline's vampire eyes couldn't follow. "She can easily murder you, I don't care if you are strong, she can still kill you. And I-" The words caught in his throat. "I-"

Rather than spitting them out, Klaus whirled around on his heel and stomped out of the room. All three of them wince when they hear the front door slam.

Bonnie rises to her feet and catches Kol's arm as he begins to follow him. "Let me talk to him."

Kol raises a brow but doesn't protest, stepping back and lowering himself down onto the sofa beside Caroline. Bonnie follows Klaus's footsteps from the home and is alarmed to find him sitting on the porch right outside.

"I thought you would have taken off," she says softly.

The hybrid shrugs a shoulder, staring off into the evening dim. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

For the first time in forever, Bonnie feels a surge of sympathy go through her for the man. For the first time, she sees that frightened little boy that never got to become a man. She sees that boy that she saw in Kol's memories.

"Kol's going to be all right, Klaus," Bonnie says. "You seem to forget that you have me on your side now."

She sees the corner of his mouth curl up in what is supposed to be an attempted smile.

"There's no other way?" Klaus asks, finally glancing her way.

She shakes her head. "I'm sorry." That's when Bonnie lowers herself down onto the stoop beside him. It's probably the closest she's been to him since the night that Kol transitioned.

"I don't want him in danger, Bonnie," he says. "I don't want him to be hurt again."

Bonnie blinks, surprising heat rising behind her eyes. "I know."

"He can't get hurt again. I don't think-" his voice catches again. "I don't think I can stand it."

"That's understandable," Bonnie murmurs softly. Her thoughts journey to the blonde vampire inside the house. The girl who has been her soul sister for as long as she can remember. The one who has done absolutely everything to be there for her. This girl was the girl that she would die for. This girl...if anything ever happened to Caroline, she wouldn't be able to hold on anymore. There'd be no reason too.

Except that cocky little bastard that she is crazy about. A man who she had tried to kill less than a year ago. A man that had made love to her unlike anyone has ever done before. A man who she had healed of mortal injuries just hours before.

A man that she could see herself spending the rest of her life with.

She knew he felt the same way but it still scared her. It terrified her. But...but she was coming around because all she knew is that if anything ever happened to him, she wouldn't know what she would do. What she could do.

"Promise me that he will be safe, Bonnie. Promise me that you won't let anything happen to him."

Bonnie's eyes widened slightly at those words. Her olive eyes meet his.

"What?" Damn, why does she sound so vulnerable? Why now?

Klaus doesn't even have to repeat himself. The words are there. Forever hanging in the chilly night air, finding their home deep in her heart.

Bonnie fights for breath because she realizes that she wants to promise Klaus that.

And she does.

"I promise."

**.**

**.**

* * *

**I don't like this chapter. I mean, I like the Klonnie and the Kennett healing and that's about it.**

**There's still so much to learn, so much to do. Only witches can bring Silas down and Kol and Bonnie are starting to realize that. In the end, it may cost them their own lives. Klaus has realized that and he doesn't think that he can stand losing Kol again. But Bonnie loves Kol, even though she hasn't admitted it yet. So she won't hesitate to make that promise to Klaus. Just your everyday Bonnie, sacrificing herself for her loved ones. :P**

**I am such a jerk guys. I'm going to be pushing the high school chapters a bit. I've got some witchy works coming in next chapter as well as the fact we'll be seeing Kol perform some really intense magic. Tamara is not going to be as big of a character as I originally planned for her to be but she is sticking around for a bit. **


	20. the summoning

_**the summoning**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'**maybe i should cry for help  
****maybe i should kill myself (myself)  
****blame it on my ADD baby  
****maybe i'm a different breed  
****maybe i'm not listening  
****so blame it on my ADD baby  
****sail'  
****-'sail', awolnation**

**.**

**.**

The moment that she steps into the darkened bedroom she can feel him there.

It has always disturbed her, (and impassioned her) how much of a presence that he has.

His hands come out and close over her shoulders, gently pushing her back into the bedroom wall. Her own hand snaps out and hit's the light switch, swarming the room in bright eccentric light. He blinks for a second, his eyes adjusting.

She braces herself for the tirade that is sure to come.

"Why?"

Huh?

It doesn't take long before he advances on her.

"Why?"

"Why what, Kol?" Bonnie finally says, gently pushing him off of her, scooting past to sit on the bed.

"Oh, don't give me that innocent crap, Bonnie," Kol snaps. "Why the hell would you make a promise like that to Klaus?"

"Because I wanted to," Bonnie shoots back. "It's as plain and simple as that, Kol."

"Bonnie, I am not a helpless child that needs protecting. I am capable of protecting myself."

"Like the night that Jeremy staked you?!" Oh, ew. Low blow, Bonnie. Even for you.

She can see the hurt flashing in his eyes, along with the everlasting pain that will live forever. She finds herself grasping at straws, wishing with all her might that she can take those words back, but she can't. They will live on forever.

"Things are different now," he finally says softly, eyes focused on the floor.

"Yes, they are different," Bonnie replies carefully, lifting her exhausted body off of the bed. "But Kol, your brother-God, I cannot believe that I am defending _Klaus _of all people-, he loves you. He knows that we can protect each other and that's all he's asking. Think of what Esther could do once she realizes that you are not a vampire anymore."

Bonnie wonders for a moment why her life has ended up here. So many times since the beginning of this hell, she has wondered that same question. Her life, Caroline's life, so simple. Not a care or a worry in the world.

And now they are facing _another _hurdle in the land of the supernatural. And she is finding herself willing to sacrifice her own life not just for her best friend but for this man that has made her happier than she ever thought she could be. He has challenged her, pissed her off, made her want to hex that stupid smirk right off his face. But she can't live without him.

She is willing to keep that promise to Klaus. She will fight for this family. She still has no idea why but she will.

This is going to end, this hell on earth that is slowly taking over. Matt is a perfect reason of why Silas never should have been touched in the first place. She never wanted this for any one of her friends, even Elena.

And sometimes, she wonders what her life would be like if Elena had never given Stefan Salvatore a second glance.

But then again, this brown eyed little pain in the ass that she is head over heels for wouldn't be standing right in front of her.

"What happened that night," Bonnie begins slowly, softly. "I will not let that happen again. I would sooner die, do you understand? You have a chance for a normal life, well as normal as it can get being an Original warlock, but you have that chance. You can make your life into whatever you want it to be. And Caroline and Klaus and the rest of your family, they can finally be safe."

"Bonnie-"

Suddenly, Kol is less than three inches away from her. His tall, long, lean body is wrapped around hers-holy hell, he's _hot-_ his lips hovering over hers.

"Kol-" Bonnie tries again, placing a hand on his chest. "Listen to me."

"No, Bonnie, listen to me," he interrupts, taking a giant step back. "I think it's about time that you start fighting for yourself around here. Klaus is playing on your need to sacrifice yourself for everyone, even the people that piss on everything that you are. You have to fight for yourself or at least-"

"At least what?"

"At least let me fight for you."

Bonnie stares for a moment, becoming lost in those beautiful honeyed eyes.

And then she swoops on him, their mouths meeting and molding together.

* * *

"Just out of curiosity, why is the summoning the same night as our first show choir concert?"

Bonnie winces. Damn, she had forgotten about that.

Needless to say, she was actually enjoying herself in show choir. Tamara was the lead singer of the group but Caroline had landed a solo in one of the songs that they were doing. She herself was mostly dancing and again, she was actually liking it quite a bit. She was built like a dancer and honestly, it was something that she really liked.

Maybe if she made it out of this hell hole, she'd try to get into dance school.

Maybe...

"Luck of the draw, Caroline," Bonnie says softly. "The full moon is that night."

Caroline lets out a moan. "So we go sing Michael Jackson music and then summon the witch bitch all in the same night? Pretty."

There is a loud hacking noise and all eyes go on Kol.

"You're singing Michael Jackson?" the warlock sputters, brushing off the tea that he had just spit down his front.

"Yeah," Bonnie says. "Are you a fan?"

"Is he a fan?!" Klaus laughs. "You're not going to show them, are you Kol? All right, stupid question."

At that moment, Kol has sped to his bedroom and returned within a matter of seconds with his iPod. Bonnie can hear the faint strumming of 'Beat It' through the earbuds and nearly falls out of her chair when the earbuds are unplugged. How the boy wasn't deaf by now, she'll never know.

She had to admit though, the boy could _dance. _

"Bonnie, you're drooling."

"Shut up, Caroline."

* * *

"So how exactly does this summoning go, as I am afraid to ask?"

"It's seems relatively simple but it's actually a pretty difficult spell. It requires more force than a banishing spell like I did with the ghosts last summer so Kol may have to channel other witches."

Caroline gives her a tiny smile. "Are you okay with all of this? You and Kol have never shared magic before."

"That's not true-"

"I mean, intentionally."

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "I am okay with it," she says. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, isn't it like with vampires? When a warlock and a witch bind their powers, doesn't that mean-?"

"It doesn't mean we're mates, Caroline! Jeez, we're not dogs."

Caroline laughs nervously. "That's not what I meant, Bonnie."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"You love Kol. He is obviously in love with you. What if-what if something happens? What if something goes wrong?"

Bonnie's expression softens. The candles she is currently holding in her hands gently tumble to the table and she turns to look at her friend.

"Why do you think something bad is going to happen?"

Caroline's grey hues instantly fill up with tears, startling her friend out of her wits.

"Caroline! What is it?"

The blonde clumsily wipes the tears away, turning away from the caramel skinned girl. "I heard what Klaus made you promise the other night."

Ah, Klaus. Stupid Klaus.

"Caroline..."

"I know how much you love each other, Bonnie, but I'm scared!"

That shuts the witch up.

"I'm scared that something is going to go wrong and you will wind up keeping your promise to Klaus. I can't-I can't lose you, Bonnie. You're all I have left!" And suddenly, the vampire is engulfed in a warm embrace. She stands stock still for a moment before her own arms come up and circle the witch's tiny waist.

"Everything is going to work out just fine, Care," Bonnie whispers into her friend's curls. "Kol is strong enough to do this on his own and if he does need my help, I will help him. But nothing is going to happen. Everything is going to be just fine."

"You say that now but of course, you never know-"

Bonnie chuckles softly, gently pulling away from Caroline. "No one's dying tonight. Not on my watch."

* * *

The three girls eyed each other warily.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Bonnie asks the pale skinned brunette as she carefully fixes the pins in her dress.

"What, go out there and sing or summon a million year old dead witch?"

"Both."

The younger brunette gives a small sigh. "I've never done this before, harnessing power through other witches," she admits smally. "And with how strong you and Kol are, especially together, you can definitely knock me and Sophie right out of the loop."

"What do you mean?" Caroline asks.

"It's their joined power," Tamara explains, gesturing to Bonnie. "The two of you-together-it's like you are each other's guardian."

_You are his guardian, Bonnie. His protector. You brought him back from the other side and in return, he saved you._

Aw man...Bonnie knew Magdalene's words would come back to bite her in the ass!

"Bonnie..."

"Don't say it, Caroline."

* * *

The music beat out the last few notes of 'Man in the Mirror' and she clapped along. She stood along with the rest of the choir group, dressed in a simple black dress with silver stitching, her hair swept up with silver ribbons. She hadn't fussed with her appearance as much as Caroline had, her mind planted firmly on what was to happen in less than four hours.

Bonnie finds herself watching the faces of her fellow students. She watches four boys belt out lyrics for the beautiful Michael Jackson song and wonders what their lives would be like if they were aware of the supernatural that stood right beside them. If they knew that the pretty new blonde that all of them had been flirting with was actually powerful enough to rip out their throats without even a second thought. Or that the new history substitute teacher was actually one of the first vampires ever created and later turned himself into an Original hybrid. Or that the new quarterback on the football team was a thousand year old warlock who could fry someone's brain without even blinking an eye.

And she finds that she envies them all. She envies their naivety, their plainness.

She sometimes wishes she could have it back.

And then…

Something's happening.

She can feel it.

* * *

"What the bloody _hell _are you three doing here?!"

Bonnie winces slightly at just how shrill Klaus's voice could become.

Elijah barely even blinks at his brother's heightened baritone. Rebekah rolls her eyes and reaches over, slapping him right upside the head. Caroline lets out a squeak of shock.

"We were tired of sitting on our hands back at that little pony town. There's bigger stuff going on right here."

"And so you forget all about Elena and the rest of the town? Watching over them?" Caroline puts forth.

Rebekah fixes the other blonde with a withering look. "I don't care about the doppelganger or the rest of the town," she says. "I care about my family. And I am not going to sit around while you all save the world. I'm going to help."

Klaus finally devotes a bit of attention towards the youngest vampire of the group. "Did you allow her to do this?"

Before Matt can open his mouth to respond, Rebekah cuts in. "He doesn't _allow _me to do anything, Niklaus!" she barks. "After nine hundred years on the run with me, I think you ought to know!"

"All right!"

Kol's voice makes them all nearly stagger over in surprise.

"I've had it with the arguing!" the warlock bellows, stepping forward across the already dewy grass. "Rebekah, please just shut up and Nik, don't antagonize her. They are here and they can probably help either way."

Elijah shoves Klaus out of the way to make way for Kol. "What are you doing?" he asks, his tone urgent. "What are you four up too?"

* * *

It was three minutes past midnight.

The moon is at it's highest point in the sky, so majestic and so glorious.

Bonnie Bennett has always liked the moon. Especially when it was full. There was a beauty, a magnificence to it that couldn't be matched by anything else.

She watches Kol.

It occurs to her that this is the first time she has ever seen him perform magic, real magic that is. Yes, there were the hundreds of aneurisms that he gleefully zapped Rebekah and Klaus with and their own little fights of course, but this-

This is true. This is passionate.

It's unlike anything she has ever seen before.

The Latin words roll of his tongue with ease. The wind cracks around them, bringing down lightening and thunder.

There's so much magic in the air tonight.

She winces slightly when the dagger comes out and slices through Kol's palm. The blood drips down onto the pentagram that is drawn onto the wooden table. It's practically a scene out of a tv show.

But hell, her life is a television show.

Kol's power reaches out to her and she takes hold. It's a feather light touch but it's there.

It's probably the most beautiful thing she has ever felt in her life.

The other vampires stand in a half circle around the four witches. It's almost protective…a blessing.

More light flashes but this isn't from the sky.

It's from Kol.

Sophie, Bonnie, and Tamara step back in time to watch as the light continues to shine from Kol's hands. Yeah, it does sound like something out of a stupid fairy tale show but this…God, it's so real. It's unlike anything, absolutely anything she has ever seen before.

The beauty—the joy—

_Wow_.

There is one final flash of light before it pools before the tiny table.

A form begins to take shape.

It's working.

Bonnie watches this with wide eyes, unable to look away.

"Well, well, well. This is an interesting turn of events."

Okay, that's not Esther's voice.

Bonnie turns slightly to where the golden light has pooled. Where the ghost is holding on.

And it's definitely not Esther.

It's Klaus's terrified voice that makes it all true.

So damn real.

"Mikael."

.

.

* * *

**I never intended on resurrecting Esther. She may be a bitch but in the end, I do believe she would have helped her kids stop Silas. Especially with the fact that Kol has gotten his powers back. **

**Mikael hates Klaus and will go through any of his children to get to him. With the fact that he is here and has a foothold, HUGE PROBLEM. I've got some great Kol/Klaus brotherly stuff coming up as well as some more delicious Kennett. **

**I do like the end of this chapter because Bonnie really understands just how beautiful Kol is. He is so important to her and she's just a little too stubborn to admit it (of course) but even with Caroline and Tamara of all people pushing her to admit it, it's going to happen. **


	21. monster

_**monster**_

* * *

**(a/n: I'm so sorry this is late, guys. Horrible writer's block.) **

_**.**_

_**.**_

'my secret side i keep  
hid under lock and key  
i keep it caged but i can't control it  
cause if i let him out, he'll tear me up  
and break me down  
why won't someone come and save me from this?  
make it end!' **  
****-'monster', skillet**

**.**

**.**

Matt Donovan never believed in fairytales.

Those were stupid little stories that his mother would tell his sister when she would wake up from a nightmare, silly stories that got her to calm down and go back to sleep. It was especially bad not long after their father had died. His sister had these nightmares about the accident that took him away from their lives and it was at least five nights a week he'd wake up to hear his mother's voice, soothing and gentle, telling her another one of these fairy tales that made it seem just a little bit better.

It was maybe a year after that that his mother started drinking.

See? That's why Matt Donovan never believed in fairytales. They only led to sorrow.

He stands on the edge of the courtyard, his eyes on the creature that had just appeared out of the mist. For a split moment, he swears he sees Klaus cowering. Honestly, Klaus cowering? That's not something he ever expected to see in his human life or in his life of forever.

The man-no, _monster_ leers at him for a moment before turning towards Kol. The father and son lock eyes and Kol is the first to look away. There is disgust written all over that face and Matt finds that he is at a loss for words once again.

Once again, the Original family surprises him.

Mikael turns again, eyes locking on the man that Caroline had come to view as her love. A man that Matt had begrudgingly began to respect. A man who was terrified.

"Well, Niklaus. It seems that your impulse has gotten you in trouble once again," Mikael says as he begins to walk towards the hybrid, his long body slinking along like a dangerous and deadly leopard.

And then it happens. It just happens too damn fast.

* * *

"You all right?"

Kol's smile is bitter and angry. It's practically a smirk.

She can see the healing bruise lining his jaw from the whack that Klaus had given him before Kol had tossed him across the room like a rag doll. She couldn't help but cheer inside when she saw Klaus do a face plant into this wall.

"What do you think, Bonnie?" he replies scathingly, with just a hint of sorrow in his tone. "I screwed up."

"We all screwed up," Bonnie says. "And Klaus seems to forget that you are related to one more parent than he is. It's a mistake-"

"A mistake that happened on my watch! It was my doing!"

"It was all of our doing," she snaps. "You weren't the only witch there, Kol!"

"Mikael is running around out there because of me!" Kol shouts, turning violently and glaring. "We have no idea what he is capable of since he has a foothold into this world! He is more powerful than all of us put together and there is no way to send him back!"

"That's bull and you know it!" Bonnie growls. "You're just scared!"

It's like time stands still for a second before Kol finds his voice. "Excuse me?"

"You're scared! You are a coward!"

Bonnie feels her own insides twist freakishly. She knows these words are cruel but it's the only way to rile him up.

And of course, it works.

He advances on her, eyes hard. "How...dare you-"

And she kisses him right on the lips. "I knew it would work."

Kol blinks stupidly at her for a second before he understands. A smile creases his lips and he rolls his eyes. "You little minx."

Bonnie smirks before leaning in and wrapping her arms around his waist. His own arms hang at his sides for a moment before he returns the embrace, clumsily patting her on the back. She wonders for a second how long it's been since he's been hugged, if not ever.

"This isn't going to last forever, Kol," Bonnie says softly, her voice muffled by the wool sweater that he is wearing. "And this is not your fault. Klaus can shove it where the sun doesn't shine."

A weak chuckle is her reply at first before he carefully shifts back. "So what do we do now?"

"We go back to school. Finals are coming up along with another concert and Caroline would kill me if we missed that."

"And Mikael?"

"He'll find us."

And what is so frightening about that is that it's true. It's so damn true.

They didn't even need to look for the Papa Original vampire ghost. He would be around soon enough.

* * *

And soon enough arrives that following night.

"What the hell is that?"

"What's what?"

A glass of blood falls off the table, the fluid spattering all over the floor. The trembling picks up, causing a chair to fall to the floor.

"_That!" _

Bonnie feels it too.

And so does Kol.

"It's the Expression mark!" Bonnie shouts. "Everyone, get down! Get away from those damn windows!" She's standing closet to Klaus who is stupidly standing by the wide open window and she gives him a shove into the center of the room.

She hadn't forgotten much of what Shane taught her, even though he had been dead for months now. And she immediately remembers him telling her about this. If there is a ghost that has a foothold into the world, he or she doesn't even have to be a member of Silas' cult or whatever the hell he has or had. This kind of ghost, especially an Original vampire ghost can break through the Marks set by Silas and go after whoever they have a bone to pick with. In laments terms, an Original who has the strength of a hundred men? Multiply that by ten billion.

They're screwed.

"What do we do now?!" Caroline shrieks, her body half shielded by Elijah's. "What's happening?!"

Bonnie's hand snaps out and find's Kol's fingers. The home continues to shake and tremble, pictures and glasses falling off the walls and tables, shattering into a million pieces. Never to be repaired, never to be whole again.

She glances to her side, their eyes meeting. Kol gives her a small nod and she knows.

They begin to chant in Latin together, the warmth of the spell taking hold. It's a temporary fix but it will be enough.

For now.

She can feel Mikael's power banging on the glass of the link. It's such a tentative link and can be broken by practically anything.

"Fight it, Bonnie!" Kol shouts over the roar. "You can fight it!"

_Let go, Miss Bennett. Or they all die. _

Mikael's voice always did remind her of a snake's hiss.

"Bonnie!"

The link goes back up. The shield becomes pressed around all of them, Kol's power being the only thing holding it up.

Their eyes meet again.

"Bonnie, no!"

Bonnie lets out the tiniest of sighs that she knows only he can hear.

"I'm sorry."

And she lets go.

Another flash of light, blinding to all rings through.

Kol throws up an arm to cover his eyes. The other vampires let out roars of discomfort. He can feel the shield cracking and works to put it back up.

But he can't feel her anymore.

And then...

The light's gone. Almost like it was never there. The house isn't trembling, the early night is rising and the late afternoon sun begins to peek through the cracked window once again.

* * *

"Wake up, Miss Bennett."

She feels a nudge at her hip and lets out a groan. "Leave me the hell alone, will you please?"

There's a very familiar and dangerous chuckle as her answer. "I don't think so."

Bonnie's eyes fly open and she looks up to see Mikael standing over her, his grey eyes leering and dangerous. Nausea flanks through her stomach and she lets out another groan.

Crap.

"Did you like it?" Mikael asks. "I always envied my wife, she was able to do some of the most interesting things with her witchcraft. But with the link I apparently share with Silas, I can do almost as much as she can."

"So blowing up my house and teleporting me out of there was your kick for the day?" Bonnie snaps, slowly shifting herself into a sitting position. She glances around to see where she is and finds darkness. There's so much darkness. "Can you tell me where I am?"

Mikael shakes his head, holding up a hand. "No, I cannot do that, my dear. You see, that is something my children will have to figure out on their own."

The young witch emit's a growl of frustration. "Of-freaking-course. You get your foothold and you go back to your stupid mission to kill Klaus, is that it?"

"Jackpot," Mikael smirks. Bonnie feels a shiver when she sees that smirk. Of course Kol got it from his father. "But I can see that you share a bit of a link with my youngest boy, is that correct? I think he'll be the first one hear, along with his idiotic half brother."

Bonnie crosses her arms in front of her chest, trying to hold back the next shiver that threatens her body. "Why is that?" she asks. "Tell me, why the hell do you want Klaus dead so bad? Believe me, a year ago, I would have happily assisted you in your mission but now, I kind of have him at my mercy and I'd like to keep him around a bit longer."

"That is true, isn't it?" Mikael says. "You saved my son from the Other side. You spared his miserable life just to stop Silas and look where that got you."

The dude has taken up to pacing now. He's practically walking in circles around her, that irritating little smirk plastered on his lips. Grr, she'd like to rip those lips right off, they're creeping the hell out of her.

"I'm not even going to try and explain this to you, Mikael," Bonnie snaps. "I don't think I can get it through your thick skull."

Mikael just smiles again. He's practically beaming at her! Bastard.

"A sassy little thing you are. I can see why my boy likes you so much."

"He's not _your _boy, Mikael. I think you lost that right after you tried to hunt down all of your kids to get to Klaus."

"It doesn't matter, little witch," Mikael says. "And I wouldn't have _killed _them, per se."

It dawns on her exactly what he means.

"You have more daggers?" she spits out. "How is that possible?"

"Anything is possible, love," Mikael chuckles. "Just like how there is a few more white oak stakes around then my children happen to think."

"So what, you're just going to hold me hostage until Kol and Klaus figure out where I am and come to rescue me? And then you're going to kill them."

It's a statement, not a question.

"Is that wrong?" Mikael says. "It doesn't really matter if Kol isn't a vampire anymore, he is still an Original. He's still taken thousands of lives, if not more."

"What, and you're so much better because you only feed on vampires?" Bonnie snaps back. "News flash, you're just as much of a killer as they are. Only you chose to become one. They never did."

Mikael blinks his surprise before finding his voice again. "Why Bonnie Bennett, you have become another Original groupie."

Actually, Bonnie Bennett would like to feed him his eyeballs.

* * *

"So that's it? This is it? We are going to sit here and do nothing?"

It was probably a few hours later. Bonnie wasn't sure. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness around her and she was able to see that she was in some sort of catacomb. She was still wondering how the hell she got there. It was cold, dingy, and wet and would be a wonder if she came out of this without catching pneumonia.

Mikael barely even glances her way, his eyes growing impatient.

Good, he deserves to be impatient. Ass.

"Mikael, talk to me. If you don't, I will go nuts and then spontaneously combust."

Okay, even she can't maintain her poker face there.

She wonders the same thing she's sure he's wondering. Where the hell are Kol and Klaus? She can only hope that they're just laying low because they know she can take care of herself.

She prays that they're not going to be stupid and come in here with guns blazing. Right, Klaus Mikaelson always _thinks _first before he acts. His brother isn't much better.

Bonnie sits back against the wet stone wall, ignoring the flush of chill that runs through her spine. She pulls her loose jacket closer around her, eyes closing.

And then…

* * *

"_Kol? What are you doing in my head?" _

"_I should ask you the same question, lamb." _

_Bonnie blinks, a hand coming up to rub at her eyes. Kol catches that hand and brings it to his lips, pressing the tiniest of butterfly kisses to her fingertips. _

"_Where are you?" Bonnie whispers, finally feeling those tears burning behind her eyes. She had given herself kudos for being so strong through this but now…now all she wanted was to be in his arms. She wasn't going to be stubborn anymore. She wasn't dancing around this anymore. She wanted him. _

"_We're near, love," Kol breathes. "We're near." _

_Bonnie glances to her side and sees Mikael. But he's not exactly paying attention to the scene beside him, frozen solid like the crazy chick from Bewitched had zapped him. Huh, time really can stand still if it needs too. _

"_Bonnie, I need to hold on, okay?" _

"_Of course," Bonnie says, looking back at him. "Why wouldn't I?" _

_Kol's silence is answer enough. _

"_What's going to happen to me, Kol?" Bonnie whispers, fear finally clenching her throat. "What's happening?" _

_Kol shakes his head. "I don't know," he replies softly. "But I know that I need you to keep fighting for me. For yourself. Don't you dare let go." _

_Bonnie nods. "I won't." _

_Kol gives her that familiar little smirk that evolves into a true smile. He leans forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. _

"_I love you." _

_He's fading. He's freaking fading too fast. _

"_Kol, I lo—" _

* * *

"Miss Bennett, I recommend you stay awake for this."

Bonnie practically jumps out of her skin at the sound of Mikael's voice. She rubs haphazardly at her eyes and manages a glare.

"What did you wake me up for?" she grunts.

"For this," Mikael says, pointing to his right.

Bonnie glances to where he is pointing and nearly has a heart attack.

* * *

**Dun-duh-dun-dun-dun! **

**Again, I am so sorry this is so late! I hit just a horrible case of writer's block and didn't know where to go after the Mikael reveal. I am trying to further his character more and honestly, he's not a father, he's not a human. His own choice to become what he is has stretched him so far and there is no hope for him ever becoming Papa again. I am a HUGE fan of Sebastian Roche and really, I am trying to make Mikael the villain that he was always meant to be. The reason why he really hates his kids, Klaus especially, and how he's willing to go through any of his kids to get to him, even Kol. **

**Thanks so much, guys. Reviews are much appreciated. **


	22. speed of sound

_**speed of sound**_

* * *

_**.**_

_**.**_

'you keep blurring in my mind  
and space is undefined  
these tracks left behind  
we can't stay the same  
can't stop this train  
i can't find the breaks  
on this bullet train'

**-'bullet train', stephan swartz and joni fatora**

**.**

**.**

It was almost amazing to the fact that they were working together without arguing unmercifully.

After Mikael's resurrection, things had gotten bloody and brutal. If it wasn't for his magic, Kol didn't doubt the fact that Klaus could have done a lot more damage to him in his anger and his fear of their father. Their past fights it the last three hundred years had been nasty of course but that was when they didn't have to be afraid of actually hurting each other. Today, things were a bit different.

There was so much more at stake here. So much more that was important. Their family was finally back together, albeit with the still large gaping hole of Finn's absence, and there were additions to their family in the forms of two young vampires and a little witch. Sometimes, Klaus had wondered if his brother would ever fall in love. Yes, he had had numerous affairs and one night stands-okay, he was kind of an oversexed pig that loved to drain his lovers dry-but there was never only one person that he had eyes for. Klaus had watched Elijah and Rebekah have their few great loves and Finn had wallowed for a hundred years over Sage before Mikael had shown up that first time and then-

Mikael showing up in the year of 1114 had been terrifying. It was right after their run-in's with the Five and he had freed all of his siblings from the dagger. There was something deeper there that he couldn't help suspecting though, something that was coming that was even more frightening than the possibility of being kept in a box for all eternity.

And even through that haze of the Curse, he felt Mikael drawing closer. He knew that his father was coming, coming for all of them. If he didn't act-

Finn lived one hundred and seven years as a vampire before being placed inside a chest and later being carefully put inside a coffin. Finn was...Finn was liable to cause trouble. He hated being a vampire so much, especially after losing all of his powers and then thinking Sage was dead that it just didn't seem worth it anymore. He would have gone to Mikael if he could've. He would have caused all of their deaths in the most brutal way possible. That was the one thing that they had to give Esther kudos for, she had just wanted to kill them quickly and as painlessly as possible while Mikael went full speed ahead. But when Esther's plans kept failing, she became more desperate. More brutal.

And that was the whole damn heartbreaking part about it. What kind of a parent, no matter if you are biological or step, would want to kill their own child? The child that they had raised since birth, watched over, cared for, taught everything that you knew? Being strict and a disciplinarian was one thing, being cruel and sadistic was another.

They never wanted this.

A curse. Never a blessing.

* * *

Mikael breathes in.

And breathes out.

It's almost poetic, watching him breathe in and out. She counts the breaths under her own and comes up with five in the last three hours.

It had been a demon that he had called up. A demon that was almost a perfect replica of her own form.

It was probably the most disgusting thing Bonnie has ever seen.

Once Mikael had sent the demon away, Bonnie had pulled herself to her feet, staggered over to the opposite side of the stone prison, as far away from Mikael as she could, and upchucked whatever was left in her stomach.

For the last ten minutes, she herself has been breathing in and out, trying to find some way to keep control before she went Rambo style on this guy's ass. Of course, if she did, he'd pull her heart out without a second blink.

"Why?" Bonnie finally forces out, interrupting his sing-song of breathing.

She can feel the pulsation of magic in the air. A Dark magic that not even she has ever come in contact with. When she dabbled in Expression, she never even entertained the motion of calling demons from beyond and here was one, wearing her face.

They wouldn't know any better.

That scared the living shit out of Bonnie. When Mikael sent this demon out, the little she-devil would be a distraction for the others while Kol and Klaus, and possibly Elijah came for her. And then-

Urgh, she couldn't even think about it.

Kol could survive. He was strong enough to send the demon back and maybe even Mikael but he would lose his magic in the end. Being an Original didn't guarantee him the strength of overpowering something like this.

Klaus would end of dying. She knew that and she prayed that he would realize that. And with Klaus's death, that guarantee's the deaths of Caroline, Elena, Stefan, Damon (she wouldn't be shedding too many tears over the Salvatores), Katherine, and Matt. And Elijah-

Elijah would give up.

The man had lived for a thousand years with the hope of being reunited with his family. He was a man who lived on hope and honor and with the confirmation, the devastating facts that his whole family was gone, he would let go. And Rebekah wouldn't be too far behind him.

Mikael can barely look at her now.

"Coward," she mutters under her breath before curling her knees up towards her chest, turning away to press her cold nose deeper into the stone wall.

"This is right, Bonnie," Mikael whispers.

"No, it's not right," Bonnie whispers back. "And what about you, Mikael?" she counters. "Where will you go once all of your children are dead?"

"I will go back," he says. "Back to the Other side."

"Are you happy there?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you happy on the Other side? Are you with any one?"

The Original shakes his head. "No, I am alone. But after this is over, it will make more sense to be alone."

Bonnie lets the back of her head rest lightly on the wall behind her.

"They may be vampires, Mikael," she breathes. "But they are human beings."

In the last months, the four remaining Mikaelsons had grown and flourished, practically like little puppies that were growing into their own. And she had grown to recognize the true bonds of family. And for the first time in forever, Bonnie Bennett had found herself belonging.

* * *

"I need your help."

The small brunette blinks her blue eyes at him for a second before arching a brow.

"Why?"

Kol runs a trembling hand through his unruly locks, shifting uncomfortably on his feet.

"He took Bonnie," he spits out, hot moisture burning behind his eyes. "He took her and he's using her as bait. I can feel her-I can feel her growing weaker."

"Do you know where she is?" Tamara asks.

"Yes."

"Do you know that this is going to take a crazy amount of magic?" she says.

"Well, of course it is," Kol responds cockily. "We are going to kill my father again."

Tamara shakes her head, catching Klaus's gaze from behind his younger brother. "This isn't just killing, Kol," she says. "This is sending Mikael right back to the Other side before he can lay a hand on any of you. Because if he takes one of you, then all of you will go."

"What do you mean?" Rebekah asks, worry skating her eyes.

"You don't need to be linked to be bound," Sophie offers softly. She comes to stand beside the younger witch. "You just need blood."

Those four words hang in the air, so heavy that it feels like they were made of granite.

"So with this kind of magic, if one of them dies-?"

"If any one of you is taken or even touched, it will affect all of you," Sophie says. "Mikael has help from the Other side. It's greater than anything that Esther could have ever accomplished and if _one _thing goes wrong, this all goes to hell in a hand basket. Do you understand me?"

Kol nods first, followed by Elijah. And then all eyes go on Klaus and Rebekah.

"Why are you looking at me like that?!" Rebekah bursts out indignity.

"Why should we not?" Caroline replies sourly before stomping out of the room, Matt close behind her. She disappears through the door, Matt following her. It's another undead heartbeat before Kol follows not far behind.

* * *

"Caroline!"

He finds the two young vampires in the sitting room, Caroline putting on her jacket, Matt standing a few inches away with his hands stretched out in front of him like he is trying to stop her.

The blonde freezes, her eyes hardening at the sight of him. "What, Kol?"

"Matt, would you mind leaving for a moment?" His brown eyes skate over to the other vampire.

Matt looks back at him, his own eyes hard. "I care about Bonnie too, Kol," he replies softly. But after those words leave his mouth, he blurs out of the room.

Once he is gone and out of earshot (obviously not, but oh, well), Kol rounds on the younger vampire. Caroline doesn't even bat an eyelash, her arms coming up to fold in front of her chest.

"You can't take off like that, Caroline," he breathes, unable to really realize that even he is trying to think logically.

Maybe after taking off like a complete moron and getting staked with a White Oak taught him a few lessons.

Caroline glares back at him, eyes hard.

And then she wilts.

Oh, crap.

"I cannot lose her, Kol," Caroline says softly, her hand darting up to brush away the tears that are quickly forming. "She is the only one that has ever stuck up for me all my life, the only one that didn't throw the whole Damon shit back in my face, she and Stefan are the only ones that have fought for me. I need to fight for her. She-" She stops when Kol's hands catch her flailing wrists.

"Caroline, listen to me!" Kol's voice is firm. "Listen to me!"

The blonde finally forces herself to stop once Kol gives her a final shake. Her eyes continue to bloom tears while she focuses on his face in the blur.

"This is Bonnie," Caroline manages to choke out.

"I know. And we're going to get her back."

"But how? Tamara and Sophie said that if Mikael hurts one of you, all of you-"

"Mikael isn't going to lay a hand on any of us." He sees Caroline's confused look and lets out a sigh. "He isn't."

* * *

Bonnie can sense it. It's there.

And needless to say, it scares the living shit out of her.

Mikael smiles grimly in her direction. "It's time."

The young witch pulls herself to her feet, her trembling hand running along the wall. Iciness tinges through her fingertips and she shivers.

She can feel it.

She can feel all of it.

"They're coming," Mikael murmurs softly. For a moment Bonnie isn't sure if he is talking to her or himself. And then she sees the demon rising up once again.

The creature turns it's head, dark green eyes flashing black for a split second in time before becoming green once again. This creature is so beautiful, more beautiful than she will ever be.

"You know what to do," Mikael says.

The demon nods once.

Bonnie lets out a gasp of horror as more demons begin to rise up from nothing. They just appear out of the air, so dangerous and so lethal. These creatures, they are unlike anything Bonnie has encountered before in her whole life. She highly doubts her mother or even her Grams had come in contact with anything like this.

They're dead.

They're all dead.

* * *

When he sees Bonnie, relief flashes through him.

She's alive. She's okay. She's in one piece.

It doesn't surprise him when she flinches away, letting out a tiny squeak of fear and discomfort.

But when she finally lets him touch her, he doesn't like it.

He doesn't like it one bit.

And the cry of warning leaves his lips too late.

The Bonnie clone transforms right in front of him, her mouth opening in a call of summoning. The rest of her little minions appear out of thin air, gathering in rows and rows of little soldiers. His own horrified eyes take in the demon that once wore Bonnie's face and finds a hideous monster looking back at him. He doesn't hesitate to rip it's heart from it's chest within seconds, thanking God and whatever the hell else was above that he still had his strength.

The demons fly at the vampires, easily taking Matt down to his haunches. Rebekah lets out a cry of fury and leaps at the one demon that currently has it's hands around Matt's throat. With a violent twist of her own hands, she rips it's head right off of it's shoulders.

Three more demons rise around Elijah, surrounding him. The Original stands calmly, watching with those dark eyes as the demons begin to circle, stalking him.

And he is the first to strike. He pulls out the heart of one demon while he takes the head off of another. The third, who tries to jump him from behind, loses both of his arms and his head a second later.

Klaus is a monster. A real and true monster.

When a demon flies at Kol, the wolf lets out a roar and dives at it. With a single slash of his arm, the demon's head lands with a sickening thud on the ground. The brothers give each other a single nod before they each take on another creature. A karate chop through the chest rips out one's heart while a mere blink of an eye causes blood to spurt from another's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. It's on the ground, still and lifeless in a matter of seconds.

Caroline is on fire. Seriously, Klaus has to stop to admire his lady love for a moment, watching her as she rips out the heart of one demon and then sends another careening through the trees with a mere flick of the wrist. She lets out a huff of breath when she breaks loose of the third one.

"_Bitch!" _

She flips her hair out of her eyes and catching his gaze. A flirty wink and then they're both on the prowl once again.

"Matt! Down!"

The hunter slash vampire, or maybe the other way around, whatever the hell he is, ducks as his girlfriend runs up his back and sends the head of a demon flying with a high heeled kick. As she goes down, he grabs her wrist and turns her, a second kick coming in mid air, her whole foot going through the abdomen of a second demon. The demon lets out a roar of agony before dropping. The Original and the newbie look at each other for a moment before Matt shoves her to the ground in time to reach around, holding another fresh heart in his palm.

Matt stares at the heart for a moment, his eyes wide. It's actually the first heart he has ever ripped out and honestly, he wishes he never had too.

Rebekah gives him a gentle shake, causing the heart to fall to the ground and roll away with a sickening slap. She touches a bloodied hand to his shoulder and gives him another gentle shove. No words are exchanged, no words are needed.

Klaus rears his head back, both sets of fangs extended, before tearing out the carotid artery of one demon.

Caroline is screeching at the top of her lungs about her boots that she is going to need to replace as she takes out the knees of another before pulling it's head clean off.

Elijah somehow manages to continue to look dignified as he pulls out the heart of another, not getting a speck of blood on his suit.

Rebekah and Matt are fighting side by side, never letting each other out of their sights. They sure do make a good badass pair.

But as each demon falls, another replaces it.

Even if they are all Originals and hunters and witches, they still tire.

The demons keep coming.

And coming.

Kol manages to look up from the one demon that he has currently disemboweled to see a figure not too far away, practically hiding in the brush. A ripple of rage shines through him when he recognizes that shape, that long lanky look.

"_Mikael!" _

And he knows. He knows the only way out of this.

The warlock drops the carcass and pushes his way through the mass of bodies. He can glimpse Elijah finally being pushed down by four demons at once. His neck is stretched out-

A long shine of bloodied blond hair pulled back-is it Caroline or Rebekah?

The hunter falling with a stake in his side.

His own hybrid brother letting out a roar as his wrists are pinned down into the dirt by stakes.

"_SHUT YOUR EYES!" _

The light comes from his hands first, practically painful at just how damn strong it is. It comes from his wrists, climbing up his arms and crossing his chest and up his neck. The light pools again, flashing out far and wide, blinding him.

And then it's gone, as quickly as it comes.

Once the blurry spots fade from his line of vision, Kol sees Elijah pushing a mass of bloodied bodies off of his own, his suit finally spattered with gore and matter. Klaus is pulling a trembling Caroline to her feet, practically propping her up against a tree. Rebekah is yanking the stake out of Matt's middle, pushing him up into a sitting position.

But they continue to look at him.

* * *

"_Mikael!_"

The Original's head flies up. Bonnie winces slightly, her body too tired to even really care anymore.

"_Mikael, come on out! This is between you and me! Let the witch go!" _

Klaus.

"They beat your demons, Mikael," Bonnie breathes. She is still shaking, not quite from the cold. She had felt Kol's jolt of power all the way in here and she just...she just knew.

Mikael looks at her for a beat, barely inclining his head in a nod before rising to his feet.

"I know."

"Then why? Why does this matter anymore?" she finds herself asking. Hmm, maybe she does care.

He smirks. "I always knew it would end up between him and I, Miss Bennett," he replies softly. "No one around to help him. Not his little slave Stefan Salvatore, not the doppelganger, not anyone. Just him and I."

Bonnie fights the hot tears that gather behind her eyes. She has always hated crying and right now, she is crying for the thought of Klaus dying. Jeez, she really has sunk that low. But with him dying, she knows he'll take everyone else with him, intentionally and unintentionally.

And she will be alone.

Always and forever.

There's a place in this world for her and she's found it. She doesn't want to let that go. She doesn't want to face the world alone without her best friend, without the love of her life, without that strange-ass family that has accepted her into their lives.

She couldn't lose them.

Yeah, she was being selfish. For the first time in her life, she wanted to be selfish.

These people, these _Originals_, were the most important people in her life.

_Fight it, Bonnie. We're almost there. _

The words ring so clear through her mind that she thinks that they were spoken aloud. She looks around wildly for a moment, seeing Mikael's confused glance and quickly recedes back into her makeshift shell of clothing.

And then it happens.

It happens so damn fast.

Light crackles through the stone walls, slicing it with a perfect Z.

Mikael's on his feet and moving, somehow beside her in a split second of time and pulling her to her feet.

"What the hell-?" Bonnie weakly shoves at his hands but finds herself at a loss. Damn it.

Kol is the first to appear, shoving the rock away like it weighs less than feathers. His eyes take her in first, defenseless and broken, held up like a ragdoll in his father's tight grip. Klaus follows moments later, glimpsing her before his gaze grows hard. With a jut of his chin, he looks back at his father.

"Hello, Father," he breathes. "Now would you be so kind as to letting the witch go?"

"Gladly," Mikael says. And then he drops her like a sack of potatoes.

"Oof!" Bonnie lets out a moan, her hands catching herself on the cracked floor and slicing open her palm. Kol swoops down beside her, scooping her up in his arms and setting her on her feet.

Mikael is practically radiating with glee. Finally, the jerk had his chance. There was no one here to help his bastard son except two weakened witches. It could be easy.

But then again, Mikael underestimated his children before.

"End this now, Father," Klaus says softly, the two men beginning to circle each other like two leopards getting ready to spring. "You've lost."

"Are you so sure about that?"

"Fine. You have me. Allow Kol and Bonnie to leave," Klaus says. "Let them go."

Mikael chuckles softly. "You honestly think that being the protective brother earns you your siblings' love? You stood there and watched as Miss Gilbert and her brother shoved a white oak into Kol's heart! How protective is that?"

Klaus's nostrils flared. His eyes dart and fall on Kol who's arms are still tightly around Bonnie.

"It worked out for the best in the end," he states. "He's alive. He's here."

"Only because Miss Bennett brought him back. Hmm, it's interesting. I can see it in your eyes how much you hate that witch and yet here you are, owing her your life. Your brother's life."

"You're pathetic."

The words come from a voice right above her. Bonnie glances up to see Kol's eyes are hard, power starting to slowly pulse through his heart. He gently detangles his arms from around her and steps ahead.

"Excuse me?" Mikael repeats.

"You are pathetic," Kol says once again. "You use that fact that Esther was unfaithful to hate him, to hunt him for centuries and even when you are on the other side, you focus on your revenge. You let it consume you in every way possible."

The elder Mikaelson is silent.

"Revenge is meaningless."

Famous last words.

"Enough. All this talk is boring me," Klaus finally spits out.

"Hold your tongue, Niklaus."

"Do you want to try and make me?"

Mikael throws a smirk over his shoulder at him.

And strikes.

Bonnie finds herself thrown to the ground once again, a quick and loud snap telling her that her arm was broken. She turns, ignoring the throb and cradling the useless limb as she watches with horrified eyes.

Mikael is holding Kol with a thick arm wrapped around his throat. He holds a shining silver dagger to his jugular, the point of the blade already pressed into the skin. An exhausted Kol looks surprised that even he could be taken down at this point of the game.

Klaus emits a growl that could be heard in Texas, blurring forward with both sets of fangs bared.

"_Nik! Don't!" _

Kol's voice makes him freeze.

"Kol—"

"One more step, Niklaus. And he dies."

Serious deja-vu here.

"Go ahead, Father. Kill me."

All eyes on Kol.

Even Mikael looks surprised at his son's words. The dagger lowers just a millimeter.

"Go ahead," Kol repeats. "We know that you will do it anyway. Kill me. I'm the only thing that's keeping Klaus from ripping your fool head off so do it. And then it can be over. May the best man win."

There's so much light.

Bonnie hears it. She's feels it. She _lives _it.

Mikael lets out a roar of pain, his arm darting out to where the dagger digs into Kol's throat even deeper. The boy gurgles slightly, it over shadowed by Bonnie's scream.

Tamara slowly walks through the cracked opening, followed by Sophie. The witches chant out a spell that Bonnie doesn't even bother to recognize as she swoops on Kol, trying desperately to swallow the cry of pain that has nothing to do with her broken arm.

Mikael's roar is brought on by another as the final White Oak stake finds it's home in his chest. Klaus pushes his body down into the stone floor, practically bashing his head into the ground.

"Don't you touch him!" he growls, sending the stake home.

Just before the lights go out of Mikael's eyes, he manages to force one more smirk.

"It's too late," he murmurs. "Silas sends his regards."

And he's gone, Klaus only grasping air.

It's so damn silent.

"It's over."

Kol's voice makes her want to weep with relief. Bonnie glances down to the man in her arms, her grip tightening around his slackened shoulders. Her hands lowers from the wound at his throat and finds that it's healed, the blood drying and crusting on the curve of his neck and on her own fingers. Both of them stare at the blood for a second, their eyes finding each other in the dimness.

"I love you, you jackass," she breathes, for his ears only.

The smile that crosses his lips is like the dawning sunrise. Bonnie finally lets her tears loose, allowing them to roll freely down her cheeks. Kol's own trembling hand reaches up and delicately thumbs them away. She leans her cheek into his touch, pressing her lips to the palm of his hand.

"Bonnie?" he whispers. "I love you too."

The moment in itself is so perfect. Even the fact that her arm is throbbing away, they are both covered in each other's blood, none of that can ruin it.

"I'm so sorry to do this but we need to move."

Tamara's voice breaks the moment seconds later. Bonnie brings her eyes up to look at her friend. Yes, this is her friend. Tamara has done everything she could to help them, to save her, to save Kol, to bring about this end.

Yeah, it doesn't really matter right now that Silas is coming for them. None of it matters.

They are alive. They are all together.

They are free.

"Tamara? Tamara, what's the matter?"

Sophie's voice finally brings the young couple out of their private world.

Bonnie looks back at Tamara again to see blood slipping down her lips and cheeks, coming from her ears and nose. The girl is shuddering on her feet, her tiny hands darting out to catch onto something. Anything at all.

And no one catches her as she falls.

**.**

* * *

**I always knew when I wrote this that one of them wasn't going to make it out alive. **

**Finally. She finally said 'I love you'. I really like Kol's reaction to it, he's just so happy. He finally allows himself to be at peace because he's there in her arms. **

**I am finally getting to the fluff that I am promising. Next chapter and probably the chapter after will have the Glee club stuff that I promised and I have to say, there will be a bit of a playlist. Familiarize your beautiful selves with 'Clarity' by Zedd, 'Here's to Us' by Halestorm, and 'Say' by John Mayer. Just saying…**

**Thanks so much guys. Have a safe and beautiful week. **


	23. here's to us

_**here's to us**_

* * *

**(a/n: WARNING! Extreme fluff and character ooc in this chapter! Proceed at your own risk!) **

**.**

**.**

'you've carried on so long  
you couldn't stop if you tried it  
you've built your wall up so high  
that no one could climb it  
but i'm gonna try  
will you let me see beneath your beautiful?  
will you let me see beneath your perfect?  
take it off now, girl  
would you let me see beneath your beautiful  
tonight?'  
**-'beneath your beautiful', labrinth and emeli sande**

**.**

**.**

It had been too much for one young body to handle.

Even with help, she couldn't do it.

Tamara's body had been silently and swiftly snuck back into her home, having been cleaned up to look like she was sleeping. The cover story of an aneurism to the brain would be used by her family because of course, they knew. They would have to know all of it, even though it was a heartbreaking conclusion to it all.

The funeral took place two days later. Most of the school attended as well as Caroline and Bonnie. The rest of the Originals stayed outside the grounds but they were there.

"Look," Caroline breathes, her lips a breath's away from Bonnie's ear. Bonnie turns her head, glancing to where Caroline is pointing. At the gates of the cemetery, five people are gathered, spread out like soldiers in a battalion.

She can see Rebekah's long blonde curls, pulled back into a loose braid around the side of her neck, adorned with a pink rose clip. She wears beige pants and a soft rose jacket over a white top.

Rose had been Tamara's favorite color. She always had some sort of speck of it on her every time they had seen her.

Elijah is the only one dressed in black, a crisp black suit that fits his body perfectly, showing off the contours of his form perfectly. But his tie, his black tie, is slashed with rose.

Each Original, including Matt, wears some sort of rosey pink on them. A tie, a ribbon, Kol even wears rose colored shoelaces.

All in honor of the young witch who saved their lives.

* * *

It took some pestering but Caroline finally talks her into going back to school, wrapping up loose ends, and acting like two grief stricken friends. In truth, they were. Bonnie hadn't wanted to go back to the high school originally but it would look fishy if they just disappeared. At least, it was a way of pulling things together before they moved on. It was time to leave New Orleans.

It all changes right after what she perceives to be their final Glee class.

"Caroline and Bonnie? May I speak with you a moment?"

The two girls stop just as they were about to leave the room. Caroline turns first, glancing at the large clock hanging on the wall and then back at their teacher.

"What's up?"

Jack Schubber, a nice man in his mid forties looks back at them from behind the enormous grand piano. A piano that Tamara had been tinkering at just four days ago.

"In light of recent events, we are kind of screwed for our last concert. It's a concert that really shouldn't be canceled even if we are not competing at Sectionals," Jack begins softly, stepping out from behind the piano. "Tamara was supposed to sing lead for two songs in the concert as well as joint lead vocals. And well-"

"What are you saying?" Bonnie interrupts quietly, already sensing what she is about to hear.

"There are two songs that Tamara had wanted to sing in this concert, 'Clarity' by Zedd, and 'Here's to Us' by Halestorm. I was wondering if you two ladies would like to do the songs instead."

* * *

She's Bonnie Bennett.

She's a witch. A powerful one who can kick an Original vampire's ass.

She's an A- student, she's finally happy, she's trying to save the world.

But she does not sing.

"Oh, come on, Bonnie! This song is perfect for you!"

"I hate to agree with her but she's right."

"Oh thanks! Thanks for the back up, Rebekah!"

The Original just shrugs. "I've heard you sing before," she admits. "You have a really nice voice. Both of you do. Bonnie can sing that song by Zedd and Caroline can sing 'Here's to Us'."

"You think?" Caroline says, her head swiveling towards the other blonde.

The girl shrugs again, her eyes unusually soft in a way that was only reserved for Matt and maybe her brothers.

In the last several weeks, a bond had formed between these three girls that hadn't even been thought of. Rebekah was the farthest thing from an Elena replacement, she was just Rebekah. Bonnie and Caroline both hated to admit it but she was just like them. She was a shallow, insecure, little girl that needed love and friendship or she wouldn't be able to survive. And this friendship, this was real.

All of it was real.

"I just kind of wish I could join you."

Caroline glances at her thoughtfully. "You could compel your way in."

"No!" Bonnie bursts out. "Please, can we just—just have a normal high school event with no compulsion or witchcraft?"

Twin smirks cross the blondes' faces. "Does this mean you're in?"

Bonnie lets out a huff of annoyed breath. "All right, all right. Just—just don't tell Kol. He'll never let me hear the end of it."

"Too late, lamb."

Damn, that voice still sends chills down her spine.

Both girls let out gales of laughter as Bonnie slumps back into the overstuffed armchair, a dramatic hand flopping over her eyes.

* * *

Sleeping arrangements had been shifted a bit.

Okay, well, it was cramped in this cottage. Another move to another safe house.

And so that's why Bonnie finds herself curled up into Kol's side on the ugly overstuffed sofa the night before the concert. The rest of the house has already gone to sleep, finally safe due to the enchantments and protective spells that had been cast around the yard. Seriously, it was a scene out of Harry Potter, the only thing missing was a couple of magic wands.

"Are you thinking about tomorrow night?" he breathes after several moments of comfortable silence. The ticking clock above the mantle said that it was near midnight, the wind chimes due to trickle through the room soon.

She curls closer, his arms tightening around her. Her ear rests on his chest, the beautiful melody of his beating heart thumping away. It was like music to her ears.

"Yeah."

"Are you nervous?"

She shrugs weakly, turning so their eyes meet. "A little."

He chuckles softly, his cheek resting against her forehead. "Bonnie Bennett, who can take down an Original vampire with the blink of an eye, is nervous about singing in front of a few people."

"I blame your twin. I was tempted to dagger her but alas, Klaus might have been a little miffed."

Kol continues to laugh. "You mustn't blame Rebekah. You see, she wants what you have but she's settling."

"If you say she's settling for the 'commoner', I will hex you."

"I wouldn't think of it, lamb," he smirks, his lips grazing her hair. A beat of silence later and she hears something in his voice she never thought she would ever hear. "He makes her happy, though. He makes her smile more than I have ever seen her do. She's—she's alive when she's around him." She hears acceptance, that's what she hears. She hears love, so much love that she never deemed possible coming from someone like him.

It's true what Kol says though. Rebekah…what she needed was acceptance. It took a while and tragically enough, it took Matt becoming a vampire to understand, but he accepted her. No matter how they deny it, the two were in love and they would be together probably for eternity.

Caroline had given Klaus the kick in the ass that he needed. She didn't try to turn him into an emasculated little brat, she just—she just asked him to be better. She wasn't asking for the world on a platter, even though he tried to do that once, she was asking for him to be better. And so he tried. And in the end, it was enough.

This was enough. All of this was enough.

Because it was perfect.

* * *

She stands on the darkened stage, clad in a dark brown dress with a gold ribbon tied around her middle. Her hair is curled and pulled into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, her Grams' talisman at her throat.

The music starts to play and she feels Caroline's eyes on her. She glances to the side and sees Caroline's blue hues looking back at her. The two girls share a long look and Caroline's tiny smile does make the butterflies start to calm down in her stomach.

She can do this.

_For you, Tamara. _

"_High dive into frozen waves, where the past comes back to life. Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time, hold still right before we crash, 'Cause we both know how this ends. A clock ticks till it breaks your glass and I drown in you agai__n__." _

Bonnie can't help but wonder how the hell she is doing this without squeaking or tripping over her own feet.

The lights dance on the stage as she moves, the rest of the dancers joining her moments later. Caroline's gentle prescence somewhere behind her, calming her.

And then she finds two honeyed pools and gets lost.

_Look right at me, lamb. _

And so she does.

"_Cause you are the piece of me, I wish I didn't need, chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why. If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?"_

_I'm right here. _

Tears startle her as they bloom in her eyes. She manages to swallow them back, allowing the last few words leave her.

"_Why are you my clarity?" _

Why does it shock her that the applause is thunderous?

* * *

"Caroline, you can't be nervous!"

She is, actually. The blonde looks like she's ready to blow chunks.

"Jeez, I have no idea why I am, but I am!" Caroline whines. Her trembling hands rake through her recently curled hair, knocking the golden ribbon askew.

"Hey, hey, hey. Listen to me," Bonnie murmurs, catching those pale hands in her cocoa ones. "If I did that, you can do it too. Hell, you compelled your way onto the stage at the Grille to sing 'Eternal Flame' to Matt. So why can't you go out there right now and belt out 'Here's to Us'? Besides, if you don't, Rebekah will kill us."

The announcer is already saying Caroline's name on the stage.

Bonnie's hands are on her arms, turning her and twisting her around and giving her a shove.

"Go!"

The blonde staggers onto the stage and quickly rights herself. The lights don't dim for her the way that they did for Bonnie because _apparently_, her song is a song that the audience should want to join in with.

Caroline makes a mental note to keep her big fat mouth shut next time when someone wants her to do something like this.

The music strums out the first few bars and then…

Her eyes rest on one person that is standing off stage. And she just focuses right on him.

"_We could just go home right now or maybe we could stick around for just one more drink. Get another bottle out, let's shoot the breeze, sit back down for just one more drink, oh yeah. Here's to us, here's to love, all the times that we screwed up. Here's to you, fill the glass, cause the last few days have beat me down. So let's give 'em hell. Wish everybody well. Here's to us." _

The words are almost a ramble, they tumble out of her mouth so quickly. But as it continues on, and the rest of the group comes onto the stage with her. This time, the roles are reversed as it's Bonnie's gentle presence that calms her.

And Klaus's sea blue eyes that she gets lost in.

"_And if they give ya hell, tell 'em forget themselves! Here's to us!" _

It was a hymn to them. A hymn to this family that would be there through the thick of it all. That would never stop fighting, that would never leave each other behind.

_Here's to us. _

* * *

Lights shine in the sky, twinkling away at that everlasting bit of peace that holds dear to their hearts.

"Caroline, why did you drag us here? It's the middle of the night."

"Oh, please. We are all supernatural beings. We don't need to sleep."

They stand in the darkened empty soccer field at the high school. Less than thirty minutes ago, Bonnie had been awakened by the trilling of her phone and greeted with Caroline babbling away in her ear, telling her to get down to the school. She had something that she wanted to do.

So it took some moaning and groaning, but Bonnie pulled herself out of bed and did what she was told. She learns that Kol had received the same message from Caroline and wonders what the hell her screwy but lovable friend has in mind because unless it's something good, she's going to kill her for waking her up.

"We may be supernatural but we do need sleep. Since turning back, I find that irritating," Kol says from behind her.

Caroline rolls her eyes, her hands contracting around the neck of the guitar in her hands…wait, a guitar? Why the hell—

"Caroline? Where did you get my guitar?"

All eyes on Matt.

The blonde doesn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "I swiped it from your house when we left Mystic Falls. I thought…well, I just thought it might be nice to have around." And with that, she hands it to the other vampire.

Matt stares at the guitar for a second, his eyes wide.

"Caroline—"

"Oh, just take it," Caroline chuckles softly, pressing the guitar more into his hands. She steps back, one hand slipping behind her. Klaus's fingers slide through hers, gentle and warm. "The reason why I bugged all of you to come here is because, well, we're leaving tomorrow and I just wanted all of us to be together, even just for a little while. We are always coming and going, never standing still."

_Never standing still. No time to stand still. _

_But now…_

"So, what—you want to drag us all out of bed to come down here in the dead of night to sing and spend time together?"

Her face beet red, Caroline nods. "Is that stupid?"

Rebekah jumps in. "I don't think so."

"Neither do I," Bonnie smiles.

Caroline's relieved face relaxes and she sighs softly, glancing around at the Klaus, Elijah, Matt, and Kol. "Sorry, guys. You don't have to do this. You don't even have to be here if you don't want too—"

"Caroline?" Kol's voice brings her to a standstill. "Shut up."

Matt just laughs, lowering himself down onto one of the bleachers. Rebekah sits down beside him, their shoulders just about touching as he begins to pick the guitar. Bonnie follows suit, pulling Kol down onto a bleacher bench above them. He winds their fingers together before pulling her against his side. It still amazes her how perfectly she fits there.

"How about…snow in June to add to effect?" he whispers against her temple.

She laughs tenderly. "How about it?" she whispers.

And snow starts to fall, big fat glowing crystals that gather into a soft blanket on the ground. He picks a snowflake out of her hair, blowing on it and setting it free.

They are free.

Caroline's voice begins to join into Matt's picking. She is still standing, wrapped in Klaus's arms.

"_Have no fear for giving in, have no fear for giving over. You better know that in the end, it's better to say too much, then never to say what you need to say again." _

And then she hears Rebekah.

"_Even if you're hands are shaking and your faith is broken. Even as the eyes are closing, do it with a heart wide open." _

Ah, what the hell.

"_Say what you need to say. Say what you need to say." _

She burrows more into Kol's side, taking in his sweet scent of musk and lavender. She lets out a tiny sigh, breathing him in.

"I love you."

His heartbeat quickens ever so slightly.

"I love you too."

.

.

* * *

**End it now before it gets too fluffy…okay, too late! **

**So this is it for the fluff. It all goes to hell in a handbasket from here. But remember the true link that this family has, all together, and all bonded. Of course the boys don't sing but they're there. Even Elijah was there even though he didn't speak. But they were there. **

**If anyone hasn't heard 'Here's To Us' by Halestorm yet, you don't know what you're missing. And 'Say', the cover by TwentyForSeven is absolutely amazing. **

**300 reviews?! I don't know what to say…I love all of you so much. **

**I do not own the lyrics to any of these songs, don't sue me. **


	24. new york

_**new york**_

* * *

**(a/n: this chapter is dedicated to the amazing trinity71 for the beautiful graphic that she made for this story on her tumblr. check it out!) **

**.**

**.**

'but we goin' keep on dancing til the dawn  
we the ones that play hard  
we live hard, we love hard  
we light up the dark  
hello, wherever you are  
are you dancing on the dance floor  
or drinking by the bar  
tonight we do the beat  
and shining like stars, we don't give a f*ck  
cause that's just who we are  
and we are, we are, the crazy kids  
we are the crazy people'**  
****-'crazy kids', k$sha**

**.**

**.**

The much needed sleep comes in a long car ride.

Bonnie finds herself staggering out of the last safehouse in New Orleans, practically tripping over her own feet to get to Klaus's SUV. It's Kol's large and gentle hands on her back that steady her and then finally scoop her up and carry her the rest of the way, carefully shifting her into the backseat and covering her with his thick woolen jacket.

An equally tired Caroline is shifted in beside her, holding a plush bright pink comforter in her hands. Once her seatbelt is firmly clasped in, she spreads the blanket out over the both of them and is asleep in her seconds, her normally perfectly curled hair askew in a messy pony tail.

The brothers don't even say a word to each other as they get into the front, Klaus driving. It's nearly an hour later when the comfortable silence is broken, Klaus's voice husky from disuse.

"You should get some sleep too, Kol."

The now aging warlock shakes his head. "No, I'm fine."

"Kol-"

"I said I'm fine." Kol's voice is tired.

It's been a long few months and really, the journey is just beginning.

More silence passes. Kol shifts in the seat, trying to wriggle into a more comfortable position and winds up slowly dropping off into slumber with his tousled copper tresses mussed and resting against the chilled glass of the car window.

Klaus watches him out of his peripheral vision, marveling at just how young he looks even though they are a thousand years old. Kol had somehow managed to hold onto that youthful look, even after they had been turned. Klaus himself had always been thought to be older than he physically was due to the age in his eyes. He had only been twenty-three when turned, ready to take the world on by storm and leave his father behind in the dust.

Klaus then glances into the rear view mirror, somehow managing to keep the car in the lane while watching the two girls in the back. His eyes trail over the blonde, his undead heart swelling with an emotion that he had deemed a greatest weakness many moons ago. Now, he wasn't ashamed to admit it, he would call it something the total opposite.

Caroline never tried to change him. All she asked of him was for him to be better.

And so he would.

It takes him a while to wrench his eyes from the blonde creature. They finally trail over to the mocha skinned woman that his brother had come to adore. Honestly, to go totally chick-flick here, if Bonnie asked Kol to give her the moon on a platter, he would do his best. And with those powers of his, Klaus wouldn't be surprised if he did.

This was the real woman that saved them all. Tamara had been a passing ship in the night who sacrificed her life to put Mikael back where he belonged and yes, he would forever appreciate what she had done for them. But this woman, if she hadn't done what she did, Kol wouldn't be sitting here next to him, snoring away.

As Klaus watches the young witch sleep, he feels another feeling start to creep up over his alive, oh so very alive heart. A fierce protectiveness, a loyalty, a passion that felt so foreign.

Was it possible to believe in second chances?

* * *

A painful poke in the arm startles the young witch awake.

"Up and at 'em sleepyhead."

Bonnie groans softly, shifting more onto her side. "Caroline, if I wasn't so tired, I'd give you an aneurism for that."

Caroline rolls her eyes and gives her another poke in the side. "Bonnie, wake up. You don't want to miss this."

"Where are we?" she asks, obeying the blonde's command with another groan.

"Have you ever been to New York City, lamb?"

The moment the words leave Kol's lips, Bonnie jars awake. Her head almost bashes against the window and she sits up, staring at the passing skyscrapers.

"Oh...my...God..."

"That's what I said," Caroline chuckles. "You have been snoozing away these last two hours missing almost everything."

Bonnie sits up slowly, rubbing her throbbing forehead.

"Why New York City?" she asks, looking at Klaus as he continues to drive through the crowded streets. "I don't understand."

"I have some friends here," Klaus says, ignoring the surprised look from Kol. "They can keep an eye out."

"You mean bodyguards?" Kol replies with a hint of a sneer.

"Shut up, Kol," Bonnie says. Caroline lets out a snort of laughter, quickly turning it into a cough once she sees Kol's glare.

Klaus rolls his eyes. There is a sudden jarring motion and the girls let out hollers as the car jars to the right, going underneath a bridge and into a parking garage.

"Jeez, a little warning next time, Klaus!" Caroline snaps, quickly righting herself. Klaus doesn't answer as he brings the car all the way up to the top floor of the parking garage and leaves it in a space that is marked KM.

"A little obvious, don't you think, Nik?" Kol says as they get out.

Klaus shrugs his shoulders. "There are a lot of people with the initials KM," he replies swiftly. "Come along."

* * *

It's a silent but deadly elevator ride to the penthouse. Bonnie doesn't even realize that they are at the Hilton until they keep going up and up and up.

The elevator doors ding their arrival on the penthouse. But just as they are about to open, Klaus slams a hand to the emergency stop.

"Nik-?" Kol begins. But then he hears it too. "Oh God."

"What is it?" Bonnie asked, the only one without super hearing. "What's—"

Caroline's hand clamps on her arm. "Marcel."

Oh.

_Oh. _

The doors open.

Elijah sits in the center of the sofa, Rebekah beside him and Matt on the other side of her. Bonnie can see the brief shine of veins underneath his eyes before they disappear. He's hungry.

Marcel walks out from behind the sofa, twirling a vervain soaked stake in his gloved fingers. His eyes pierce into Bonnie's but she cannot back down. She's taken him down once and she can do it again.

"Elijah? Rebekah? Are you all right?" Klaus says softly. There isn't a mark on his siblings even though they both look slightly ashy. It's obvious that they have been here all night.

"How is this possible?" Caroline cannot help but say. "You three left after us. How did you get here before us?"

"Marcel and his goons jumped us at the house," Matt says. "He knew where we were the whole time."

"It is interesting, Niklaus," Marcel says. "It did used to be just the four of you and now you have added some people to your family."

"I don't think that is any of your business, Marcel," Klaus says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's plenty of my business," Marcel says. "Especially when I am just abiding by my law in my own little town and I get jumped by _that_." His index finger points at Bonnie. Kol and Caroline quickly get in front of the young witch, guarding her. "I see she has guards of her own."

Bonnie lets out a huff of annoyance, giving Kol a shove. Despite being human, he's still like granite and doesn't budge.

"Your business is with me, Marcel," Bonnie says. "Why don't we talk about this? And you can let these three go."

"Bonnie, don't you dare!" Kol snarls from behind her. Bonnie shoots him a glare and he doesn't even wither. "We need him."

Marcel looks confused. "You need me for what?"

Bonnie's voice is firm. "Let. Them. Go."

"Not until you talk."

That stake is lowered, getting closer and closer to Matt's jugular. Bonnie can feel the young vampire's fear, practically mixing with Rebekah's anger next to him.

"All right. Have it your way then," Kol says suddenly.

And there is a flash of light, so strong and so powerful that it knocks the vampires behind him down to the ground. Bonnie covers her head to protect herself and when she looks up, all of the lights in the whole city have gone out.

And Marcel's five goons lay dead on the floor, their eyes gouged out.

Marcel stares at his fallen comrades for a split second, his own eyes wide with shock.

"How is this possible?" he whispers, looking back at Kol.

Kol shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know."

Bonnie quickly turns to the three. "Go!"

Rebekah has Matt wrapped in her arms already, blurring him out of the apartment, Elijah stopping only to snatch onto Klaus's arm and dragging him out with them. Caroline stays behind for a second but a look from Bonnie gets her moving.

"No doubt they can all hear us," Marcel says with a smirk, stepping over one fallen body. "So you're a warlock, huh? I remember you as being a pissy little brat that his big brother could barely keep in line."

Bonnie rolls her eyes. "He is still that," she says, ignoring Kol's reproachful glare.

"Why?" Marcel says, the steel starting to come back into his brown eyes. "I get why you did what you did back in New Orleans but-"

"You killed a witch!" Bonnie bursts out. The deadened electricity flickers around them, sparks flying out of one lamp beside Marcel. He jumps away from the sparks, glaring at her. "You killed a witch right in front of me!" Kol's hands come down and close around her shoulders.

"She disobeyed my law," Marcel states coldly. "You are lucky you didn't come here to find half of your family dead."

"How did you even get the upper hand on Elijah and Rebekah? Matt I can understand but them-?"

"Vervain stake the neck for big brother," Marcel says. "He went down like a ton of bricks. All we had to do was threaten the newbie and your sister folded like a deck of cards."

"That doesn't matter right now," Bonnie quickly butts in. "This is between you and me."

"Bonnie-"

"Kol, just shut up!" Bonnie snaps, shaking away from him. She whirls back around, her eyes blazing. "You murdered a witch in cold blood because she was doing a spell to tell if Klaus was on his way to New Orleans. That's against nature. And I punished you. It's over! We are not in New Orleans anymore and you do not get to tell witches what to do anymore!"

The furniture was starting to shake. The sparking lamp finally lit up, setting Marcel's jacket sleeve on fire. The vampire lets out a roar and quickly whips it off, throwing it to the floor.

"What do you want?!" Marcel finally shouts back. "Why am I still alive then?"

That's when Kol's magic overrides hers, pushing it right back into her. Bonnie pants with exertion and practically staggers back into him. He gently pushes past her so that his body is shielding hers.

"This is the end of the line, Marcel," Kol says. "And you know I can kill you in the blink of an eye so maybe it would be better if you cooperated."

Marcel glances down at his dead comrades. His comrades that had fallen down ashen and grey without even a stake to their hearts.

"I'm listening."

* * *

"He's with us."

"Where is he?"

"He's gone."

Bonnie is beginning to feel like a yo-yo. She has been bounced from place to place, person to person, witch to witch for the past month and a half and it's starting to get to her. To put it bluntly, she could use a drink.

The Hard Rock Café isn't too obvious, is it?

It should say not. Klaus easily compels his way to two tables pushed together in the center of the floor, crammed with people. The five vampires and the two witches sit around the conjoined tables, all of them with cups of coffee in front of them. Of course, a couple are spiked with whiskey but then again, that's another story.

Caroline lets out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad that he's going to work with us if we need him but he still scares the hell out of me."

"He's never going to harm a hair on your head, love," Klaus murmurs softly.

Caroline pretends she doesn't hear that, swallowing a smile.

"Brother, can you please tell me how Marcel got the jump on you?"

And Kol breaks the silence with the question of all questions.

Elijah flushes angrily, his eyes narrowing.

Matt suddenly jumps in. "Rebekah heard them coming. But they were fast. And they jumped me first. Rebekah cooperated and so did Elijah. It was the only way or I would have been staked and they would have been hurt."

Both Elijah and Rebekah send him a gentle glance and that shuts Kol right up, the smirk sliding off his face.

"Happy now?" Bonnie chuckles.

Kol rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Bonnie just shakes her head, sitting back in her seat, and accidentally bumping against Kol's arm. She leans her head back and rests it right on the pulse point of his wrist, listening to the steady beat of his life force.

Who would have thought, huh?

"Is that…the Gilbert boy?"

_What?! _

Bonnie's head whips around so fast that she nearly gives herself whiplash. Kol is already on his feet and out of his chair, heading to the spot where Rebekah's eyes had been moments before. She looks out the large bay window that is now empty of people, having been overcrowded just minutes ago, and sees Kol already outside, his hands coming down and latching onto a jacket that was just trying to disappear around the corner.

"Stay here," Bonnie says, getting to her feet and bolting for the door.

* * *

Outside, they are totally ignored by the passerbys as Kol has Jeremy shoved up against the brick wall of the alley way beside the café. Bonnie guesses that this is a regular occurrence in New York City.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Kol is snarling into Jeremy's face. If he still had fangs, they'd be out. "Why are you following us?!"

"Elena knows you're alive!"

**.**

**.**

* * *

**Jeez, I am so sorry this is so late. I hit such a horrible case of writer's block and I finally came up with this. It's a sort of filler but I will say, shit goes down after this. **

**Thanks guys. Reviews? **

**I'm on tumblr! **

**kennettlove23. tumblr. com **


	25. jeremy

_**jeremy**_

* * *

**.**

**.**

'and i could give you my devotion  
til the end of time  
and you will never be forgotten  
with me by your side  
and i don't need this life  
i just need...  
i've got nothing left to live for  
got no reason yet to die  
but when i'm standing in the gallows  
i'll be staring at the sky'

**-'somebody to die for', hurts**

**.**

**.**

If Bonnie could have swallowed her tongue, she would have.

"How the hell is that possible?" she whispers.

Jeremy glances at her over the top of Kol's head. "She saw you. And she smelled Kol's scent and all of her compelled memories came back."

Kol's hands finally loosen their death grip on Jeremy's shirt. He shifts back slightly, shooting a worried look over his shoulder at Bonnie.

"That's not-that's not possible."

"Apparently, it's quite possible," Jeremy says with a snarl.

Bonnie quickly steps forward, a hand reaching out and wrenching Kol away from Jeremy. He doesn't fight her, his eyes still blazing.

"How? Tell me how," Bonnie says gruffly. She tries to ignore the flash of hurt in Jeremy's eyes at her tone.

"You left town about a month ago. She was hunting and she caught your scent. I don't know how she figured it out but she knows. She knows that you are alive and that Bonnie and Caroline took off with you."

As Jeremy continues to explain, Bonnie glimpses something out of the corner of her eye. Something that sends a shiver down her spine.

A man stands on the other side of the busy street, leaning nonchalantly against a lamp post. This street is abuzz with excitement, all the simple pleasures of the city and the man is unnoticed by all passerby.

Except her.

She locks eyes with this man and feels a shiver of fear down her spine. The shiver turns into a lock right at the base of her throat as the man begins to move around the lamppost and glances to his right before beginning his ascend across the street.

He looks like a simple man, every day good looking boy next door. He reminds her of Matt.

Oh, God.

"Kol."

Kol ignores her, he and Jeremy still in a heated debate over something ridiculous like the eighteen year old jerks that they are.

He really does look harmless. Bonnie even sees a woman stop in her path to some store just to give him a once over. In another life, she would have found this man attractive with his dark blond hair that hangs in curls just below his ears, the crisp black leather jacket that adorns a set of quite built shoulders.

Her fear grows as he gets closer.

"Kol."

Bonnie does notice something odd though about him. Even though they had looked into each other's eyes, there was something that was missing. Some sort of human quality-or even a servant of nature.

And she knows.

"Kol!"

That finally gets her partner's attention. One look at her and he knows too.

A flash of black and she is choking on her own tongue. Her whole body is twisting and turning, practically squeezed into an invisible tube and being shoved down. She can feel the release in her feet and it creeps up her legs and stomach. Once it reaches her throat, she lets out a gasp and falls onto her hands and knees, coughing and gagging. She can hear Jeremy and Kol both coughing as well.

When she finally gets her wits about her, her vision clears and she looks up.

They're not on that street anymore.

"What the fu-? How the hell did you do that?!" are Jeremy's first words.

Bonnie pulls herself to her feet, looking around worriedly. She realizes that they are back on the main street into the city, at least fifteen miles outside of the metropolis. She can barely hear Kol and Jeremy bickering behind her as she takes it in.

Silas had found them. He knew where they were. He was probably going after Caroline and Klaus and Matt as they stood there doing absolutely nothing.

"Niklaus isn't stupid, lamb," Kol says, reading her mind. "He'll get them out of there."

"And how do you know that?" Bonnie replies scathingly, turning around to glare at him. "He could be-"

"He won't," Kol shoots back.

"Why did you bring us here?"

"Silas will not strike now," Kol says. "He doesn't care. It's us that he wants, correct? It was the perfect time for him to take out New York City at the same time and I happen to be a bit fond of that place."

Bonnie rolls her eyes before her gaze falls on Jeremy once again. All she really wants to do is hug the stuffing out of her friend but can sense it would be just a bit awkward since she did kind of pick Kol over him.

"So what now?" Jeremy asks.

"We stop arguing," Bonnie says, her eyes settling on the other witch. He doesn't even bother to look intimidated, his playful smirk in place. "And we get back to the others."

"I don't think that is the best idea," Kol says.

"Excuse me?"

"There's still so much to find out about the lovely Elena coming after me with her two lapdogs. So-"

It happens so freaking fast that Bonnie's cry of warning dies on her lips. With a punch that seems so light but holds so much else, Jeremy falls unconscious at Kol's feet.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Bonnie screeches, practically stamping her foot in irritation.

Kol shrugs a shoulder. "I'm covering my own hide."

"And you're beating up someone who was just trying to save your ass."

"He killed me."

"He saved you. Oh, god I feel like I'm arguing with Damon," she moans, clapping a hand to her forehead. She ignores the shine of black in Kol's eyes.

* * *

They find a hotel after Bonnie calls Caroline. Irritatingly enough, Kol had been absolutely right and Klaus had gotten them out of there in time but it had been Matt who has sensed Silas being near.

As they talk later with the phone on speaker, Jeremy still out like a light on the lumpy couch and Kol practically climbing the walls, Bonnie learns much more.

That tattoo had never really gone away after Kol had been resurrected. When Matt had been made a member of the Five, it reappeared on Jeremy's arm as well. Bonnie sees it now, leaning her ex's unconscious form and carefully rolling up his sleeve. When Silas was near, the tattoo flared up on Matt's arm, alerting the rest of their family to what was happening.

"It glowed, Bonnie. It freaking glowed! If I hadn't been so scared I would have found that so cool!"

Bonnie chuckles softly at Caroline's excitement. She needs some excitement in her life, goddamn it and being around these freaks of nature (albeit one adorable freak of nature), it gives her quite a bit of zest for her crazy life.

"Where are you guys? Are you all safe?" Bonnie asks.

"Oh, we're fine. We're-"

"Don't tell her where you are," Kol cuts in. "The walls have ears."

"You actually have a point," Caroline says, an air of annoyance in her voice. "Listen, Elijah has been doing more digging about Silas. Since it got kind of lax with all the shit that we have gone through these past months, it's time to-"

"Get back on our game," Klaus butts in. "Elijah?"

Elijah's low voice rings through the speaker phone moments later. "There are three risings," he murmurs softly.

"Risings?"

Jeremy's voice causes Bonnie to jump. She looks over her shoulder to see her ex sitting up on the sofa, running an exhausted hand through his shaggy hair. A bruise is already forming on his jaw, stretching up his cheekbone.

"The tattoos tell the story. Not just of where the cure for vampirism lays but exactly what kind of-"

"Apocalypse," Kol finishes lightly, his tone ever so dangerous.

"How do you-?" Bonnie starts to ask Elijah but then Matt's voice cuts in.

"My tattoo is growing, Bonnie," Matt says gently. "By the way, hey Jeremy."

There is a swarm of pain in Jeremy's eyes that has nothing to do with his busted cheekbone.

"Matt?"

"Yeah, buddy. It's me. I'm okay."

Jeremy swallows noisily, his lips forming a question that he already knows tha answer to.

"Yes, he is a vampire," Kol cuts in, his voice almost cruel. "Katherine had to turn him after he was attacked by Silas."

Bonnie exchanges a glance with him before looking back at Jeremy.

Jeremy leans closer to the phone, almost like he is trying to get closer to his best friend. More pain shines in his features before he swallows them back.

"Are you all right? Are they-?"

"Using me as a chew toy?" Matt finishes with a light laugh. "No, I'm okay. I'm...I'm happy, Jeremy. It's rough, dealing with the thirst but it's getting easier with time. I-I'm alright."

"It was his choice, Jeremy," Bonnie finds herself murmuring. "It was all of our choices."

"We want to be here," Caroline puts forward, her own voice equally as gentle.

Bonnie looks up to see that Kol has left the room. She can sense that the others on the other end of the line have probably done the same, leaving the four lost friends to their own privacy. She guesses that Kol was just eager to escape the chick-flick moment.

It doesn't make the loss any easier.

Jeremy looks right at Bonnie as the next words come out of his mouth, his eyes firm and searching for the truth.

"Does he treat you right?"

Bonnie finds the shadow of a smile forming on her lips. "More than all right."

"Do you love him?"

She can answer this without even thinking because it's the truth. Nothing but the absolute truth.

"Yes."

They remain like that for what seems like hours, eyes connected, souls always a part of each other. They have gone through too damn much to stop any of this now.

But it's time to let go.

"We're all right," Caroline says through the phone line, her tone lighter. "Everything is going to be okay. This is going to get fixed."

* * *

The hours go by and the tattoo grows. Kol is able to read the language that it spells out and they discover so much more than they ever bargained for.

Three risings, three losses will occur. It isn't hard to guess that they may already be occurring as they speak.

"The first rising is of the witches," Kol murmurs softly, holding Jeremy's arm in a light grip. "All the dead witches in the last three years. And then the wolves. And the vampires."

"From all different times?" Bonnie asks.

"All I can see is the witches will rise first and I think that is because there were a lot of recent deaths," Kol says.

"You can say that again," Bonnie says.

"The same with the wolves and the vampires."

The phone line is connected once again and the two sides of the family continue to converse. Klaus read the same thing on Matt's arm but it took longer to grow since Matt has only killed demons and one other vampire in self defense, unlike Jeremy who had killed several.

Early morning strikes and Jeremy falls asleep on the sofa, his large frame sprawled out across the lumpy cushions. Bonnie finds herself following Kol into the tiny kitchenette, watching him as he rummages through the cupboards for some kind of food.

"It's too bad we aren't like Samantha Stephans and we could just magick up food," Bonnie chuckles softly, seeing the slightly panicked and hungry look on Kol's face. When he looks at her blankly, she raises a brow. "You've never heard of the show _Bewitched_?"

"Sounds like a porno flick," he murmurs grumpily, slamming a cupboard door shut with a huff.

"It was on in the sixties and seventies and it was about a witch who married a human. It was pretty good-"

"You seem to forget that I am only a freaking human now who was daggered during the sixties," Kol replies with an irritated snort. He violently yanks out one of the kitchen table chairs and sits down, crossing his arms in front of his chest and adopting the pout of a four year old boy in dire need of a nap.

"Jeez, what's your problem?" Bonnie asks, lowering herself down into the other chair.

"What's my problem, lamb?" Kol snaps. "What do you think my problem is? Silas chooses to come after us today of all days, Elena and her whipping boys know I am alive, I am stuck here with the boy who killed me and you're-" his voice catches in his throat. Bonnie leans forward, catching a glimmer of pain in his honeyed eyes.

"Kol, I am not going to leave you for him," she whispers, resting her elbows on the table.

"That's not-" He tries to rebuttal her and loses it. He lets out a sigh, running a wearily hand through his sun blazed locks. "Is it really that obvious?"

Bonnie nods. "It's kind of cute, actually."

Kol rolls his eyes. "Thanks, Bon."

"There's a difference between you and Jeremy," Bonnie says, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A big difference."

"That I'm much better looking?" Kol supplies. Now it's Bonnie's turn to roll her eyes.

"Shut up for a second," she says softly as she rises to her feet, slowly shuffling over to where he sat. "Jeremy...Jeremy didn't want me in the beginning. He-he was still hung up on his little ghost of girlfriends' past cliché and-and I got it. He had a lot to deal with. And he even told me that it was always going to be Anna."

Their fingers twine together and Kol gently pulls her down onto his lap, his hands protectively encasing her in a soft embrace.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, his lips a breath's away from her ear.

She shakes her head. "I don't want you to feel sorry for me," she says. Her fingers catch his again and she notes how perfectly they fit together. "Because it's a thing of the past. Jeremy is my past. I don't regret my time with him. He has helped me grow in ways that weren't possible. But now, I have a future. I have an amazing future."

Kol gives her the tiniest of smiles. "Are you going to go all cheesy and say I am your future?"

Bonnie winks. "Would you like me too?"

He shrugs a shoulder. "I wouldn't hate it."

She can't help but smile as she leans down to kiss him. Their lips meet in the softest, most gentle of kisses. And Bonnie finds her home right there in his arms.

**.**

* * *

**This was originally going to be one long chapter but I think it fits better to end it on that sweet Kennett moment. While I was writing it, I was listening to Labrinth's 'See Beneath Your Beautiful' and it fits so much better than the song that I chose but I dunno. I'm just rambling here guys. **


	26. the rising

_**the rising**_

* * *

**(a/n: Silas is back. Remember that he looks like Charlie Hunnam from SOA.) **

**.**

**.**

'listen to me  
keep your mind on the mission  
remember you belong to me  
come on, we should get it going  
now what i want is specific  
you putting on a show for me  
the ruler and the killer, baby'  
**-'ruler and the killer', kid cudi**

**.**

**.**

The first rising happens within a matter of hours.

A gentle hand wakes her from her first nightmare.

Bonnie blearily pushes her eyes open to see Kol gazing down at her, his own eyes filled with exhaustion and sadness.

"You too?" she asks softly, slowly sitting up and running her fingers through her mussed up curls.

Kol nods, resting his chin on his fist. "Yeah. Who did you dream about?"

"My Grams. As usual."

Kol emit's a tiny sigh, flipping a lock of copper hair away from his forehead. It's at a moment like this when Bonnie really sees his resemblance to Elijah and their shared looks of their mother. It's almost eerie.

"I dreamt of a family," he whispers. "A father, a son, and a daughter. All of them dark skinned, working on two sides of my own family."

"Let me guess. The Martins?"

Kol raises a brow. "How did you know?"

"I had a nice little run in with Jonas and Luka. It-it wasn't nice."

Bonnie can almost sense Kol's hackles raising. "What did he do to you?" he demands quietly. "Bonnie, what did he do?"

Bonnie shakes her head, the horrible memories washing over her in waves. "Kol, it was revenge. I did something first and his son died because of my stupidity. It was-"

"It was his own stupidity that caused his son's death. All you did was channel him, am I right?"

"Yes, but-"

"What did he do?!"

"He stripped me of my powers, ok?! Are you happy now?!"

Jeremy chooses that moment to enter the room. "Bonnie, what's going on?"

Kol flies at him, pinning him to the wall with his fingers clamped tightly around his throat. With a twist of her fingers, Bonnie pulls him away from Jeremy and throws him into the opposing wall. A loud crash causes all of them to wince as Bonnie releases him from her grip.

"What's done is done, Kol," Bonnie says firmly, tired of all of this bullshit. "It's over."

And she stalks out of the room, making sure to latch onto Jeremy's arm and yanking him along with her as they went.

* * *

"What the hell was that all about?" Jeremy asks her once they are in the kitchenette. "Why is he so angry?"

"He saw the Martin witches in his dream," Bonnie says. "Jeremy, it's happening. The risings."

Jeremy doesn't look too surprised but fear does lace through his eyes. "How?" he asks steadily.

Bonnie shakes her head. "I don't know," she says. "And I think only witches can see the risings so-"

"So I could be fighting an invisible witch?" Jeremy asks.

"No, nothing like that. I just think that the witches that died are going to have huge bones to pick with people."

"Like the Martin witches. They-"

"They'll come after me," Bonnie says softly. "And Elijah and Klaus."

"What about my mother?"

Bonnie emit's a tiny squeak of surprise, quickly glancing over her shoulder at where Kol stood in the doorway. He doesn't even look angry at her whispered conversation with Jeremy, just-just exhausted.

"Esther?" Jeremy says.

"No, Mary Queen of Scots," Kol replies scathingly. "Yes, of course Esther. What about her? What if she rises too? Is there anything else on that stupid tattoo that we missed?"

"Each rising will end when the new one begins. And there is no specified length of time, you said."

"I was just hoping that maybe it changed in the last four hours."

Jeremy looks down at the blazing messages on his arm, letting out a tiny sigh. "Nothing new."

Bonnie can't help but let her eyes trace over the foreign letters and words. It had changed so much since the original tattoo but she should have known then that there was something missing. It was never as simple as finding the cure and being done with it.

They've got a long road ahead of them.

* * *

Klaus stalks around the apartment building, the air and grace of a panther.

After seeing Kol, Bonnie, and Jeremy flee, he had sensed that Silas was nearby. Just the tiniest of glimpses of that shaggy haired head, he had known. With a silent alert to Elijah and Rebekah, they had whisked the others out of the café and underground. He had stayed behind, searching for Silas and for his little brother, looking desperately for any kind of sign to tell him what was going on. When there was no sign of anyone, he fled too, finding his siblings and Caroline and Matt quickly at the safehouse.

Night has fallen hours before and he can feel the early stretch of dawn through his bones. The sun will rise on the horizon soon enough but he can sense the world beginning to wake up and move along once again.

It's a never ending cycle. It doesn't matter how much death there is, how much devastation. The human race will always find a way to get back up on it's feet and move on. There will never be an ending in the world, just a new beginning.

And his new beginning is about to happen.

Klaus hears the crackling of twigs behind him and whirls around, the hairs standing up on the back of his neck.

"Hello, Niklaus."

He freezes.

"Silas."

"Ah, you remember me. I was beginning to think that you and your family had forgotten about me in these last weeks."

The hybrid turns very slowly to face the Old One, surprised to find a face that doesn't look that much older than the Gilbert kid looking back at him.

"Well, we have been a little busy," Klaus says, desperately searching to buy time.

"Yes, with your brother and all. How is Kol anyway? Is he well?"

Klaus raises a brow. "What do you care? You want him dead."

"Of course I do," Silas says pleasantly. "No need to be rude."

It starts clicking into place for Klaus. All of it.

"You knew about this all along," he says. "You knew who he was and you knew that only he is strong enough to face you. Not the Bennett witch. Not my mother. Not even that witch that was so infatuated with you. My brother."

The shaggy haired warlock gives him a crooked smile. "And only you stand in the way of me finding him."

It happens so damn fast that he is still trying to figure out what exactly occurred hours later.

A slash of power lights from the sky, touching down in the form of an electrical current, paralyzing him. Out of his pocket, Silas pulls a long black stake, sharp enough to break the skin at the gentlest of contact. Klaus stares at the stake in his hands, fear clenching his undead heart.

The Old One flies at the speed of sound, plunging the stake deep into his belly and pushing it up towards his heart.

"Not even White Oak," Silas murmurs, their faces mere inches apart. "What a pity. There is something else out there that can kill Originals."

Klaus tries his best to swallow back a cry of pain but he doesn't hold out very long. He feels the tip of the stake giving way another inch, blood spurting from his mouth and nose.

"I will tell you this," Silas murmurs, bringing his lips to Klaus's ear. "You better keep tabs on those brothers of yours. And that pretty little sister. Rebekah is her name, right? That child that you call your mate? Her too. She's such a delicate little thing. A piece of genuine beauty."

"Get off of him, Silas."

"Hello again, Magdalene."

Klaus finds himself doing a face plant into the gravel, more blood spurting out in a sticky spray. He cautiously pushes himself up, a howl of agony giving way as he haplessly gropes for the stake sticking out of his back. He catches a glimpse of the gorgeous and dangerous woman out of the corner of his eye and allows a brief moment of relief before the magic begins to fly.

"Oh, please, Magdalene," Silas purrs, ducking a shine of power that she throws. He smiles, showing a full set of pearly pointy teeth. "You can do better than that."

"You're right," Magdalene snaps, her black hair seeping in waves around her face. "I can."

Silas emit's an angry scream of pain when said stake that is still sticking out of Klaus's back finds a new home in his chest. Klaus falls face first into the gravel, waiting for his healing to kick in as he listens to the battle.

Silas screeches again, a hand snaking out and pulling the stake free from his body. He throws it with all of his might at the other witch and she catches it cleanly, obliterating it into dust.

Even Silas can't help but be mildly impressed. "Well done, Magdalene." A snap of the fingers and the other witch lets out a cry of pain. "But not good enough."

Magdalene yells out another cry, but this one is different. Klaus manages to cover his face in time as the window behind him breaks, a million shards of glass whip through the air and head right for the other man. Silas somehow gets out of the way in time and Magdalene brings the glass to a standstill in mid air, allowing them to fall around the three of them.

"Is that all you've got?"

"No."

Silas's holler of pain is the worst of all. Klaus can practically hear the glass slicing through his skin, pinging off into the darkened world behind them. He can only pray that the real world is too stupid to listen closely.

"You've done well over the years, little one," Silas says with a pained grimace. "We will meet again."

He fades away after Magdalene throws one final pulse of magic at him, nothing there to begin with.

Relief flutters in his undead heart but not for long. Klaus lets out a groan and tries to push himself up again but this time, a much softer pair of hands push him back down.

"Just sit still for a moment. Let me help."

And then those hands leave and he feels a gentle warmth begin to pulse through his body. He can feel his wounds slowly knitting themselves back together, leaving the skin raw but brand new underneath.

"How does that feel?" Magdalene asks, rolling him over onto his back none too gently.

"Better than before," Klaus replies. "What the hell was that?"

"That he stabbed you with? It's Black Oak. Something far worse than your mother ever entertained herself with."

"Lovely."

With strength that he had no idea the slight woman had, she pulls him right to his feet and brushes him off. He takes in her features, her eyes. He catches a thin trickle of blood that comes from a cut above her right eye but other than that, she's in one piece.

"How did you know I was here?" he asks softly.

"My sister rose," Magdalene says. "The legend lied, Klaus. It's every dead witch. It's every supernatural being that is controlled by the sun and the moon."

"Everything that Silas worked with," Klaus finishes smally.

"Right."

"Is he gone?"

Magdalene cannot help the smile on her lips at just how young the Original sounds. "For now. The damage I did was enough to hold him off. He was weak. He hadn't fed in a while."

"If you were able to do that, than why is it my brother who has to face him?" Klaus asks, swiping away another trickle of blood.

Magdalene sighs in exhaustion. "Let me get you out of here and then we'll talk."

* * *

Jeremy's shout of shock scares the hell out of a dozing Bonnie. She dashes out to the kitchen where Jeremy is, a broken can of spaghetti sauce spattered all over the floor like the shine of blood. Kol thuds in after her, freezing at the sight of his bloodied and still healing brother and the old witch.

"Magdalene," Bonnie whispers, unable to hide her relief at seeing the other witch again. "You're here."

Never mind the fact that she had just teleported Klaus over thirty miles and landed right in their little kitchen.

Magdalene delicately steps around the mess, ignoring Jeremy as she walks. "Nice to see you Bonnie. You look well."

"As well as you can expect," Bonnie says.

"She rose, didn't she?" Kol says, causing all of them to jump. "Cassandra?"

Magdalene nods, pain flitting in her eyes. "Yes."

"Who's Cassandra?" Jeremy asks.

"Her sister that I turned," Kol says. Jeremy lets out a huff of annoyance.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"What happened to you, Niklaus? Did you go another round with Magdalene here?" Kol tries to laugh it off but fails miserably.

Klaus heaves his body into one of the rickety kitchen chairs. "Take another guess, dear brother."

Bonnie can feel Kol's form freeze up behind her. "Silas."

"Yes, Silas," Magdalene cuts in, sensing Klaus beginning to form a nasty retort. "He's getting stronger by these souls rising. But these souls aren't pure, Bonnie. These are souls that have been marked in the most horrific of ways. Like with my sister. And the Martins."

"You know about the Martins?" Bonnie asks, sitting down in the other chair.

"I know of them. I know that Greta Martin worked with you," she says, pointing to Klaus. "And Jonas and Luka worked with Elijah. I felt their murders."

Bonnie sighs, remembering that blistering heat that went through her when all three witches had died. "I did too."

"They've all risen. All of them," Magdalene finishes, her beautiful face illuminated only by the flickering candle on the table. "No one is safe."

"Then what? How do we end this?"

"Only one witch is strong enough to face him. I cannot. I managed to weaken him for a moment so Klaus and I could escape but—but only one can face him. Maybe beat him but in the end, it will cost him his life." Magdalene comes to a standstill, feeling Klaus's piercing gaze in the back of her head. "It's you, Kol."

All eyes on Kol.

Bonnie cannot help the surprise in her voice. "Kol?"

Magdalene gives her a sad smile. "For once, Bonnie, it's not you that will save the world."

* * *

"You can't do this."

"Bonnie-"

"I can face Silas. I will take him out. I will channel your power or something. But you—you are not doing this!"

"Bonnie, stop."

Kol doesn't even yell at her. His voice is soft and oh so firm and it makes her freeze in her tearful ramble. Jeez, she is actually crying over this. She's crying over this man who has changed her soul.

She feels his hands slipping down her shoulders and gripping lightly on her arms, shifting her down to the lumpy sofa. The couch dips as he sits beside her, their fingers sliding together and fitting perfectly.

"It's not something you can change, Bon," Kol murmurs. She continues to stare at his boots, not meeting those eyes that are her serious weakness. "Hey. Look at me." His finger gently pushes her chin up. "Bonnie, please."

Bonnie swallows. "I'm not going to stand there and watch you die," she whispers. "I don't care about the consequences. You are not sacrificing yourself again."

"I never offered myself up in the first place," Kol chuckles. "Only because of you I am still here."

"That doesn't matter, Kol. None of that that happened before with Elena and the others, it doesn't matter. Now is what matters and I am not—I'm not going to watch you die!"

She's on her feet before she realizes she is, doing her dramatic Caroline moment. When she sees Kol smirking at her, she wants to shake him.

"Why are you laughing at me?!"

Kol shakes his head, rising to his feet too. "Who said I was going to die, lamb?"

"But—"

"Magdalene may be old and wise, Bonnie. But she doesn't know every single little thing there is about this," Kol says, taking her hands once again. "And if Silas wants a fight, he'll get a fight. But I am not going down any time soon. I have barely begun to live. Especially now that I have something to live for."

Kol thinks that if there is such a thing as a smile lighting up someone's life, Bonnie's can.

"I am not—"

"Bonnie, for once in your life, please shut up," Kol whispers before his mouth closes over hers.

**.**

* * *

**A choppy ending on purpose because we just need the Kennett. **

**The return of Magdalene! Since she's back by popular demand, she ain't going anywhere. She will exit at the end of the next chapter but expect another return since Klaus now owes her his life too. There is still so much we don't know about her. **

**I had to show Silas in the flesh more. He is so strong but with little tricks he can be weakened since he is surviving on souls. Big battle next chapter. We will see the Martin witches and also Cassandra finally and expect a return from Tamara. Expect Jeremy to exit at the end of the chapter and someone else to return. **

**Thanks so much, you beautiful people. Much love. **


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